Nova
by Magnet-Rose
Summary: (Complete)A great explosion has wiped out the City of January. The person blamed? Vash the Stampede. Now Vash, Meryl, Milly and Knives, set out to find the real culprit. And what they find will be more than they expect. Post-Series. VM,KOC,MiW
1. Prologue: Stranger

Disclaimer: Ugh...

Well, lookee here folks! A new story! Sorry it doesn't make much sense now, but don't worry, it will.

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Nova  
  
  
_Prologue:  
Stranger_  
  


  
  
The city of January   
  
2:34 am.  
  
  
  
  
Ethan Dosty got insomnia all the time. But this time... it was different. The whole city seemed subdued, even the four Plants in the center of town were less bright.  
  
He was standing on the balcony of his second story apartment, at the top part of town. The balcony was situated at such an angle that he could look to the right and see the never-ending desert, and when looking left, the vast city of January.  
  
Ethan stared out into the cold desert that was bathed in the light of all five moons. Ethan never really was a poetic person but to him the desert seemed to become a sign of things to come. The bleak vastness of the desert spoke of beauty, to him. Deadly beauty.  
  
He narrowed his eyes, as he saw a solitary figure enter the town from the desert. From the north.  
  
Ethan was confused, nothing was up that way, nothing but sand. January was the northern-most city of Gunsmoke. To even think of going out that way, without a caravan, was courting certain death.  
  
It was possible that the figure was merely out for a nighttime stroll, he thought to himself.  
  
But as the lone traveler passed below his balcony, he quickly discarded his previous assumption.   
  
The traveler was dressed for travel, as looked as if he or she had been walking for many days. But fromwhere?  
  
Ethan continued to follow the stranger with his eyes until it had turned a corner. Ethan shook his head.  
  
Strange.  
  
Ethan was about to turn and go back to bed when he saw a strange glow in the sky. He leaned out of his balcony for a better look.  
  
The glow grew brighter till Ethan could see what it was.   
  
The fireball roared downwards and hit the very spot where the stranger had disappeared from sight.  
  
Ethan was thrown to the floor of the balcony as the shock-wave reached him.  
  
He had barely managed to right himself again when he heard a roar. This was unlike the roar the fireball had made, this roar was created by some sort of animal.  
  
Suddenly a pillar of purple light shot up from center of town, and reached high into the sky, it began to expand wider and wider. Bolts of electricity began shooting from the Plant. He heard the roar again, and Ethan, paralyzed, watched as another pillar of light, this time yellow, joined the first. The two pillars rushed towards each other and clashed.  
  
Ethan gasped, as two more yellow pillars shot up into the sky, than a third, and a fourth. Suddenly there were six of them and they surrounded the purple pillar. The yellows closed in, and when they all the pillars of light met---  
  
January was gone.  
  


Reviews, Anyone?


	2. Chapter 1: Starting Anew

Disclaimer: What story? 

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Nova

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Chapter 1:

Starting Anew

  
  
  
(A/N: Throughout the story the POV will change between characters. The change will be indicated with with  
the name whoever the POV is for.) 

  
  
Vash POV  
Town of Demitri.   
  
  
The faint twitter of birds echoed outside. Singing of the beginning of a new day.  
  
I cracked open an eye, and peered out from under my blanket. The room was fairly dark except for the small amount of light coming in through the shades on the window. It was enough to illuminate the adobe-like walls. It wasn't a big room, but it did contain two beds and a bathroom.  
  
The second bed was right under the window, and the light coming through allowed me to see the face of the occupant.  
  
Knives.  
  
It had been two weeks since our battle at the oasis, and he hadn't woken once. I was beginning to worry. The town doctor had come by to see him three days ago, and had said he was healing well if not unnaturally fast. So why wasn't he waking?  
  
Maybe it was for the best, if he never woke. What if I failed at changing him? He would go back out into the world and case more pain.  
  
I pushed myself up, and slid out of the bed, shaking my head. This was no time for such thoughts. When he wakes... that would be the time. But I know I will try, I will try as hard as I can to change him.  
  
But if I failed....  
  
I left the dark question unanswered, checked Knives' pulse, as I had done every morning since our fight, and stepped into the bathroom.  
  
  
  
I stared at myself in the mirror, studying my new appearance.   
  
My hair was combed back into a small pony tail, a few of the shorter strands up front giving me some odd  
bangs. (A/N: find a pic of Miroku, from Inuyasha, and you'll know what I mean.)  
  
I had a pair of glasses, shaped like the ones I had when I went by the name of Ericks, except with clear lenses. I pushed them up on my nose and grinned into the mirror.  
  
I had a white T-shirt, black slacks, and black workman's boots. A completely new appearance.   
  
I would now go by the name of Vash Saverem. 'Same first name as the Legendary Outlaw but not related in any way.' I would tell people.   
  
Let that old name, and past die.  
  
I had discarded my red coat and the two guns at the oasis, buried under the sand hopefully never to be  
found again. I touched my hip where the gun had always been, and felt a little sad that it was gone. I could  
still feel it's weight. Like still feeling a limb that was severed.   
  
With that thought I squeezed the hand of my mechanical arm, then looked at the clenched fist. This was one  
souvenir from the past that I could never bury in the sand. I still had the concealed gun inside. It was always useful.   
  
I peered out the door at my sleeping twin. Time to start anew. If I could.  
  
  
  
  
  
A knock at the door and the smell of bacon and eggs drew me out of the bathroom and to the bedroom door.  
  
I turned to knob, swung open the door, put on my biggest grin for Meryl and pulled her into a tight hug, "Oh, Meryl, for me?"  
  
"Darmnit you big oaf, you want to eat your eggs off the floor!?" Meryl yelled, but I could hear a smile in her  
voice.  
  
I let go and took the plate form her, then said with a serious face "Thank you Meryl, this looks great."  
  
The blush on her face deepened and she smiled, "You're welcome." Then she jumped as if she just thought of something, "Oh! How is Knives?"  
  
I turned my head to look at my twin, "Still the same, no change at all."  
  
"Oh." Meryl's voice was crestfallen.  
  
I turned back to her and blinked, "What is it?"  
  
Meryl twined her fingers together and tapped her thumbs idly, "Well you see-Until he gets better, you... You're going to be taking care of him  
constantly. I was hoping-that well, you see I don't want to see selfish here--but..." she looked down at her fingers, her brow furrowed.  
  
I put the plate on a little table just inside the door, and placed my hands on her shoulders, "But what, Meryl?"  
  
"Meryl!" Milly's child like voice interrupted.  
  
Meryl stepped back and turned towards the approaching taller woman, "Meryl! We're going to be late!"   
  
Meryl jumped in surprise, "Oh, damn, you're right, think you Milly! Bye Vash, see you after work!"  
  
The two women rushed out the front door, leaving me standing there, with my hand up in a failed attempt at  
stopping her, "But wait Meryl... what were you going to say?"  
  
I went back into the room, sat on the edge of my bed and ate my breakfast.   
  
A slight giddy feeling entered my body, did Meryl just about say what I think she was going to say? Did she?  
  
  
Meryl Stryfe...  
  
The short hot-tempered little woman. I loved her. More than anything. These feelings had slowly developed  
over the little time I had known her. But I had always dreaded... what did she think of me?  
  
After all that I had told her, after all that I had done, as long as I lived. She still stuck with me.  
  
But so did Milly. And it was her job to keep me under 24 hour surveillance. I sighed, she was only doing her  
job, right? But then what did she almost say?  
  
Knives stirred in his sleep.   
  
I looked up surprised, that was new.  
  
I set the plate down on the bed and leaned over my brother, I touched his forehead and reached out for  
his mind.  
  
It was still buried very deep, but it was there, and he was dreaming. I smiled. I'd call that an  
improvement.   
  
Maybe he would wake soon. Then I thought of Meryl again, and I felt a cold dagger enter my heart.  
Meryl... he could hurt Meryl. I couldn't let him do that. He was more adept at his powers than I, but I  
had to try something. Anything.  
  
Then I smiled and I knew what I had to do.  
  
I touched his mind again and set to work.  
  
  


Many thanks to FOO!

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Rosebud: thank you for your review, funny, it gave me some ideas for some stuff later on! THAS good, yes! Hah. 

Shutting up now.

Don't forget to review!


	3. Chapter 2: Kicked Out

Disclaimer: Amo Trigun!

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Nova

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Chapter 2:

Kicked Out 

Meryl POV

"I'm sorry Miss Stryfe, but this is the last straw. The customers are afraid to come in anymore. I'm really going to have to fire you." The owner of the bar said.

I nodded, and felt my shoulders go limp, why fight it? Another one of the bar's patrons had thought it a good idea

to grope me, and had ended up with a serving tray molded around his head.

That was the third time this week.

I sighed, grabbed my bag and headed out the door for home.

"Wonderful," I muttered, "Just wonderful."

The town was busy today, everyone seemed excited about something, Every group of people I passed were talking

hurriedly to each other.

I wondered if a Trade Sand steamer was coming to town. The more and more people I passed the more I noticed

that their faces weren't excited-happy, but excited/horrified.

I stopped in front of a Thomas stable and touched my chin in thought. The only thing that made people this

agitated, was when they found out Vash the Stampede was in town. But everyone in town already knew he was

here and had accepted him as long as he didn't cause trouble.

I continued walking, listening the catches of conversations I could hear. 

"... close to 400 iles..."

"...bright light..."

"... destroyed everything..."

"...charred for iles..."

My eyes widened, and I ran for home, something had happened. 

Something big.

I was nearly home, when I saw them. A large crowd had gathered out side of the small square building.

One of the men was banging on the door, yelling, "Vash the Stampede, come out now! We know you're in there!"

I came up behind the man, "What's going on?!"

He turned towards me angrily his fist in the air, "That devil's helper had done it again! He has to die!"

Cold shock hit my body. Not again, please, not again, "No! No, he hasn't done anything!"

"Oh, yeah?" said the man, his face red with anger, "Then how do you explain January?"

I blinked, "January? What happened in January?"

"The whole city in nothing but scorched ground." Said a woman from the crowd.

"Witnesses saw a bright light on the horizon three days ago! And just like with Augusta everything was

gone!" 

Another person cried, "Who else could accomplish such a feat?"

I snorted, "How could he have gotten to January, and back in such a small amount of time? It's a two week

journey to January by sand steamer. He just got back last week and hasn't left the house since!"

"I don't know how he managed to do it, but no one else on the godforsaken planet can do it, so it leaves only

him as the culprit!" The first man continued.

"No, you're wrong!" I cried, "Vash hasn't--"

SLAP!

I stumbled back, and touched my stinging cheek. The man lowered his hand and hissed, "You dare! I had

family in January!"

"Josef!" an older man's voice called out from the crowd, "Calm yourself, Josef."

A stooped over old man, stepped out of the crowd, "Miss Meryl, I am sorry for Josef's behavior, but I demand that Vash the Stampede leave. He may have not destroyed January, but we have our families to protect. It's is better safe then sorry. Please do not resist this, please, leave our town, we want no trouble, from him or

anyone else."

The old man looked out at the crowd, nodded, and turned back to me, "You have till morning."

The silent resounding 'or else' echoed in my ears as the crowd dissipated. Some of them shooting me vicious

looks. Others looking around nervously like Vash was going to jump out and shoot them all on the spot.

"Ma'am! Meryl!" Milly ran up behind me, a worried look on her face, "Did you hear? About January?"

I nodded still cupping my cheek, "Yes, Milly, I heard."

"Oh! What are we going to do?" Milly stepped in front of me and looked like she was about to cry.

I let my hand drop to my side and clenched both fists, "I guess we have no choice but to go."

Milly clutched her hands in front of her face, "But what about Mr. Knives? He shouldn't be moved around."

"We'll think of something, but right now we have to find Vash, and talk to him."

Vash

"There." I sighed from the exertion it had taken to just accomplish that.

Now when he woke he wouldn't be able to-

A knock on the bedroom door made me jump. 

"Vash?!" Meryl's worried voice filtered through the door. 

"Yes?" I opened the door, and saw both Meryl and Milly, both looked extremely worried, and Meryl's cheek was red, "Did someone hit you?"

Meryl touched her cheek and then shook her head violently, "Yes, but we have more pressing matters!"

Someone hurt Meryl... I grabbed Meryl's wrists, "Who!? Who hit you, tell me!"

"Vash, let go you're hurting me." Meryl said quietly, and I let go immediately.

"I'm sorry Meryl, but if someone hurt you--" 

"Vash, January was destroyed!" Meryl's voice breaking off my train of thought. She looked up at me, her eyes

asking me to listen.

"What?" 

Meryl's eyes softened to almost a sad look, "The town's people want us out of town by morning." 

"What? But wait, go back a second, what do you mean January was destroyed?"

For the next few minutes both Meryl and Milly explained to me what they knew.

January and 400 iles around it were destroyed, everyone but one man was killed, nothing was left except for a big piece of charred land.

I was being blamed, even though it was impossible for me to have gotten there and back in less than two weeks.

"You did try to explain to them, right?" I asked, closing the bedroom door behind me and leading the two women out into the kitchen.

"Yes, but they wouldn't listen, and that it was better safe then sorry. They want us out." Meryl took a seat at the kitchen table and buried her face in her hands.

I took the seat across from her, Milly went into the kitchen and began to fix some tea.

"Well we should respect their wishes and leave. Resisting will only cause more trouble than we need."

I pulled the glasses off my face and cleaned the lenses with the end of my shirt.

I slid them back on, "Don't worry Meryl, it was probably time to go anyway."

Milly came back with some tea and set in front of us.

"Milly?" 

She glanced down at me, "Yes, Mr. Vash?"

"Do you know if the Taylor's have sold that flatbed truck yet?"

Milly blinked in thought for a moment then shook her head, "No, I don't think so Mr. Vash. It's still out in front of their house." 

I nodded, "Good, go buy it from them, we'll need something to transport Knives. And Meryl, go pack your

stuff."

She nodded, "Ok." She stood, then looked back, "What are you going to do?"

I grinned, and a box of doughnuts materialized in my hand, "Enjoy a box of doughnuts!"

Meryl's mouth dropped, in shock, "Vash! Can't you be serious for an HOUR!?"

I stuffed a doughnut in my mouth, "Nobe."

She sighed and slapped her hand to her forehead, "Same old Vash," then she said in a low voice that she must

not have thought I would hear, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Milly laughed, "I'll be right back."

Meryl on the other hand shook her head and left for her and Milly's shared room, muttering about idiot men.

I laughed and set the box on the table. God, I loved

that woman.

Much thank to foo(Don't worry about being late.)

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Jaina: Thanks, and much thanks for reviewing!

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AnonymousTrigunOtaku: Thank you, I hope it will continue to interest you.

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Rosebud: Yes as a matter of fact, I do believe that Milly is pregnant. She's going to find out in a later chapter. And don't worry about Knives I have a little surprise in store for him. And speaking of Wolfwood, I was thinking that after I finish this I might do a Wolfwood centered fic. Maybe something like Wolfwood: A life Relived. Wouldn't that be cool?

And now for something completely different... sort of. Heh.

I went ahead and made a Yahoo!Groups thingy

Web site as follows == http :// groups. yahoo .com/group/Magnet-Rose

You know the drill, remove the spaces an so on. 

I actually made it while I was writing Rem: A Life Relived. But I didn't really have enough to really warrant advertising it.

So far all I've got on it just some desktop wallpapers I made from screenshots form Trigun.

So if you want to help me get some more stuff on it I'd be greatly obliged.

Ciao! 


	4. Chapter 3: Small and Practical

Disclaimer: Yasuhiro Nightow is da bomb!

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Nova 

Chapter 3: Small and Practical 

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Meryl 

Morning came. The suns were just peaking up over the horizon, and the stars to the west fading in the coming light. The town was quiet, no one and nothing stirred between its sleeping streets.

Not even wind. It seemed as though the world had quieted for our departure. Watching us leave, silently. 

For the last time I closed the door to the house that had been our home for well over a month, and walked over to the waiting truck. 

I slid into to driver's seat and closed the door. Milly sat next to me in the passenger seat, while Vash sat in the back of the truck with our luggage and a comatose Knives. 

Turning the key in the ignition, I started up the quiet street, heading north. 

Milly had fallen back to sleep before we even left the outskirts of town. I glanced back at Vash, he was staring up at the sky. 

What was he thinking about? I turned my eyes back to the unpaved road, and sighed. 

I would probably never know. 

It was early afternoon by the time we made it to the next town, Little Walton, with Vash's new appearance I hoped that no one would recognize him. 

The second we entered, I expected him to run off and find some doughnut shop. But instead he just sat in the back of the truck and asked Milly and me, to 'just jet him a sandwich.' If I may quote. 

As Milly and I walked towards the convenience store, I couldn't help but think that he was still Vash, but something about him seemed subdued. 

I stared out the window of the store while I paid for our items. The state of his brother weighed heavily on his mind.

And something else did too, but I couldn't tell what.

Milly and I walked back to the truck, Milly of course gushing over some chocolate pudding she'd found. I stared down at the paper bag in my hands. If only I knew what to say to him. To ask him if I could do anything to help.

It was frustrating. 

I felt so helpless. 

I leaned over and handed Vash his sandwich, "So, where do you want to head?" 

Vash sat there slowly unwrapping his sandwich, a thoughtful look crossing his face, "January." 

I cocked my head to the side in confusion, "Why there? If someone finds you there and recognizes you, you'll be pegged for sure." 

Vash shrugged and took a bite of the sandwich, "Seems as though people have already made up their minds about _that_. And to answer, 'Why?' Well I want to find out who really did this. Whoever 'they' are, killed people, I can't let this person possibly do it again." 

He held my eyes with his own then smiled a genuine smile, "Say, Meryl?" 

I searched his eyes, "Yes?" 

"Can I ask you a question?" 

I looked down at my hand that was clutching the side of the truck, a question? What will he ask? "S-sure."

Vash's smile softened to something more thoughtful, "Before you had to go to work, yesterday, you were about to say something..." 

Oh no. That. "Um, yeah." 

"Thing is, I was wondering what you were about to say." I waved my hands, "Oh that was nothing! Really! I just wanted to ask you for something. But it's not important now, really." 

I laughed my, 'this is a ridiculous conversation,' laugh and went to find Milly. 

Vash 

Later that night in another town, 40 iles form Little Walton, we rented two rooms at the Inn, two beds each.

Meryl left to get her Derringers checked at the local gun shop, while Milly and I settled Knives into one of the beds. 

"Milly?" 

Milly looked up from tucking in the sheets on the other side of the bed, "Yes, Mr. Vash?" 

"What kind of places does Meryl like to go to. You know like eat out at." 

Milly bit her lower lip, "Well, we never really had the chance to eat out much because of chasing you around, and well, Meryl's very practical, she doesn't really like to waste money." 

I nodded, "Hmm, something small, not too expensive and practical. I'll have to see what I can do." 

Milly smiled, "Are you thinking of taking Meryl out on a date?" 

"Yeah. Is that alright?" 

"Oh, Mr. Vash, you don't need my permission," then Milly's eyes took on a scary look, "But if you make Meryl cry, I'll make you wish you were never born!" 

I stepped back a little and laughed nervously, "Yeah, OK, I'll be good." 

Milly smiled. 

Myuch Thanks to Almighty FOO!

I have uploaded some new pics onto my Yahoo!Groups thingy.

Two pics of 'The Stranger' from the prologue.

One of Knives that I drew last October and one of a young Wolfwood, who has a striking resemblance to Haley Joel Osmont 0_0.

Reviewer responses.

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Rosebud: Thanks for reviewing! Aww this is so exciting, but it hurts when I can't tell you much of what's to happen. It would ruin the story. I'm glad you approve of my multiple POVs and VxM. I was a little worried that I wasn't getting their personalities right. 


	5. Chapter 4: The Guns and a Date

Disclaimer: ................ (Enter obscure text here.)

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Nova 

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Chapter 4: 

The Guns and a Date 

Meryl 

I tapped my finger next to my fifty Derringers that were all laid out on the surface of the counter. 

The gunsmith, Yoshi Hansen, checked each one carefully, tuning something there, replacing a part here. It was slow work. I'd been a little surprised to see Yoshi here. He used to work for Bernardelli, as a field agent till he got into an accident that crippled him from the waist down. 

He now sat in a wheelchair looking over my guns. 

"Don't worry Miss Stryfe, I'll be done in just a minute." 

"Sorry if I seem impatient, but I've had a trying day." 

Yoshi laughed, "Hasn't everyone." 

The chime on the door sounded, meaning someone had entered, I turned my head to look at the person entering. 

He was an older man, wizened by long exposure to the wind and sand, the creases in his face indicated a life long lived. 

He smiled a toothless grin at Yoshi, "Uru, here would like to sell something." 

Yoshi looked up, "What are you selling?" 

The old man scratched his chin, "Well, Uru be riding in the desert, and here Uru stop to give his Thomas' a rest. And what does Uru, see. Well Uru, sees a piece of red cloth sticking out of the ground. So Uru thinks that someone was buried under the sand. And Uru wants to help. So, Uru digs, and digs but does not find nobody. Instead Uru find these wrapped in a red leather coat. Uru has no use for guns so Uru would like to sell them." 

The old man, Uru, placed a box on the counter and opened it. 

I peered inside and sure enough there were two guns, laid on top of a red leather...coat? 

Wait. 

That coat. Those guns. 

I gasped, "Vash's gun and coat." The other gun looked exactly like Vash's except it was black. 

Yoshi saw my look and tilted his head in curiosity, "You seen these guns before, Miss Stryfe?"

"Y-yes, they belong to a friend on mine." 

"Really," Yoshi scratched the back of his head, "Judging by your look I'm guessing you're not lying." He looked back to Uru, "How much do you want for them?"

Uru, shrugged and gave his toothless grin again, "Uru does not care, Uru will take anything you has to offer." 

Yoshi nodded, "How about $$25 for each. $$50 for the both of them?" 

Uru smiled, "Uru is pleased, Uru will take the $$50." 

Yoshi reaching into his cash register and pulled out the cash, he handed Uru the bills, and Uru handed Yoshi the box. 

Uru bowed and smiled once again, "Uru is pleased to do business with you." 

"As am I." Said Yoshi. 

Uru left stuffing the cash into his pockets. 

I reached for my wallet, "Can I buy them from you?" 

Yoshi smiled, "No." 

"What? I'll pay double--" Yoshi held up his hand, "I seem to remember a young lass, just out of the University, who just by chance happened to knock me out of the path of a speeding buggy. Thus saving my life." 

I blinked, "B-but that was me." 

Yoshi grinned, "That's why I am _giving_ them to you."

I inhaled, "Really?" 

Yoshi nodded, "Yes Meryl, I owe you a lot, so this is nothing, besides the guns probably would have gone into the hands of some outlaw. I can see already that they are really powerful guns. You're friend must be missing them." 

I nodded, but said nothing about Vash intentionally burying them, as he finished with my Derringers. 

Box in hand, and my Derringers back in their holsters, I walked back to the hotel. I don't know why I wanted the guns, but something told me that they would be important later on. 

I opened the box and traced the edge of Vash's gun, as long as I'd known him, I'd always seen him with this. Nowadays he looked almost vulnerable without it, something was missing from his everyday person. Not just physically, but psychologically. 

Slipping the top back onto the box I knocked on Vash's door at the hotel. A few seconds later he opened it, his glasses were gone, and his hair was out of its ponytail. 

He rubbed his eyes, "Oh, Meryl, what's up?" 

I held the box out to him, and he opened it, this sight itself speaking many words. 

"Where-where did you get these?" he breathed. 

"A man sold them to the gunsmith, said he found them out in the desert." 

Vash nodded, stepped back and motioned for me to enter, "I was just taking a nap, but I have a question I want to ask you." 

"Oh, OK." I stepped in, and tool a seat at the small table there. 

Vash to the other seat and set the box in front of him, "Man these things just keep haunting me. No matter what I do..." 

He looked up at me, "I was wondering if I ... you see, well. Ah, damn. How am I going to say this?" He breathed in, an dropped his chin to rest it on his chest. 

He then brought his head up slowly and stared me in the eye so intensely that I wanted to look away... but couldn't, "Meryl, do you... want to go out to dinner with me?" 

My mouth dropped open in shock, then a searing blush hit my face, and I looked away, but smiled all the same, "I'd... love to." 

"Really?" his voice sounded so happy. Did that mean he...? 

I looked up at him and gave him a smile of my own, "Really." 

But then my smile fell as I thought about something else, Vash saw this and sat up straighter, "What is it?" 

"What about Knives." I whispered. 

Vash looked over at his brother, frowned, and then smiled again. "I don't think he's going to wake just yet, I can see if Milly can watch him."

Vash 

The place was called Damien's Cafe, it was perfect. Small and practical, just like Milly said it should be. It was nearly at the center of town, but not to far that we couldn't walk there. 

Meryl was watching me the whole time we walked, with the oddest expression on her face. There seemed to be some sort of conflict behind those gray eyes. 

I opened the door for her and smiled, "After you."

"Thank you." 

We sat at a table not far from the door, after ordering two of the specials, Meryl and I sat there, not saying anything to each other, neither of us knowing exactly how to start. 

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Dammit Needle-noggin, you dragged her out here. You start! Wolfwood's voice. I was beginning to wonder if I was going crazy, his voice was always giving my advice at the most inopportune times. None of which he ever said to me while he was alive. 

Ah, Meryl, what would I say to her? What if she didn't feel that same way? 

Then I guess I'll have to deal with whatever she say's and get over it. 

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You don't actually believe that she's hung with you this long because of her job, do you? 

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Dammit, Priest, leave me alone! I said to the unwanted voice. 

His voice didn't answer back. 

"Meryl. I brought you out here so I could... tell you something." 

Meryl's face seemed to go a shade paler. 

Now I'm not one to invade other people's minds, but at that very moment I wanted nothing more than to find out what Meryl was thinking. Quickly brushing away those thoughts, I clasped my hands on top of the table, "Meryl, ever since I met you. I've always held a lot of respect for you." 

Meryl turned her head down, "You want to continue on alone, don't you?" 

What? She thought _that_ was what this was about? 

"No. No, of course not. Meryl, I'd never want that. You and Milly are a great help. And I'm really going to need it with Knives." 

I reached my hands across the table, palms up. Meryl hesitated for a moment then placed her hands in mine, I squeezed them lightly. 

"Meryl, I don't know if you feel that same way, but I couldn't hold back any longer. Meryl... I love you." 

A look of shock, crossed her face. I felt panic rising in my chest. 

Then her face softened, and the panic stilled, "Oh, Vash, I love you too."

As always the first thanks to Almighty Foo.

Ok I have uploaded a new pic of Vash on my Yahoo!Groups thingy of his new appearance.

He does kinda look like Miroku. Hehe

****

Rosebud: You know, I just love reading your reviews, they're like my pinnacle of hope that keeps me going. And I've found that I can get myself writing a lot better after you review. So I just want to say thanks.

****

To all you other readers who have an uncanny knack for not reviewing.

Not to sound condescending here or anything, as much as I enjoy Rosebud's review's I would like to know what other people think.

So do me a little favor huh? Review. Please?

Thanks.


	6. Chapter 5: Waking Up

Disclaimer: icky, Fruitopia, has crushed bugs in it. O,o

Nova 

Chapter 5: Waking Up

Meryl 

The date went well after that. We finally cleared up a lot of the misunderstandings between us. And we began to talk. And talk, until the owner of the cafe said they were closing. 

So we went outside, and talked even more. 

Now as I lay in my bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, Milly's light snoring coming from the other bed, I knew that that sudden peace that had settled after Vash and I had talked, would not last. We would be heading into trouble, again. With this new development... January being destroyed. Who had done this? Who had the power?

A plant, was the only explanation, it had to be. But Vash had said that he was sure that only he and Knives were the only ones free. 

It had to be Knives' doing. Somehow he must have freed one the other plants, and had corrupted their minds. 

Knives. That spiteful man. Everything Vash had told me about him, made me want to hate the man with every inch of my soul. 

Both Milly and Vash had told me to give him a chance to change. But after 130 years of hate for humanity could he change? 

I turned over onto my side, to face the open window of the hotel room. The curtains blew inward with a light breeze.

The steady movements of the curtains finally lulled me to sleep.

Knives 

*Dream* 

__

Blue. 

Blue was everywhere. I couldn't see anything but blue. 

I could feel the surface on which I was standing, but... I couldn't see it. 

I was... floating. 

Where am I? 

How did I get here? 

The last thing I can remember... 

I... I can't. I can't remember anything. 

No. No, I remember... Vash. 

Yes, Vash. My brother. My twin. 

Where was he?

~Vash?~ I call out. 

The only thing that answered was a slight breeze. And the sound of ... laughter? 

I find my self floating towards the sound. 

Then I see it. A door. Floating like everything else. The laughter is coming from inside that door. 

The door opens of it's own accord and I float through. 

Looking around, I immediately recognize the place. 

The rec. room of the SEEDS ship.

I hear the laughter again. Then I see myself. A much younger self though running, laughing, Vash isn't far behind. We couldn't be more than six months old. Equivalent to six human years. 

"Be careful you two!" A woman's voice calls out. 

She climbs up the hill after my younger self and Vash. 

Rem.

I remember her too. 

But wait. The memories of her... some are happy. The others are... angry. 

Suddenly the rec. room begins to crumble, and it blows away. Like dust in the wind. 

Leaving me in a dark black abyss. 

I see someone, not far off, they are standing in a shadow. I can't see who they are. 

I walk closer to the person. And then I stop. 

The other, steps forward out of the shadow- 

*End dream* 

I woke suddenly, the strange dream immediately forgotten, and found myself in a soft bed. 

Where was I? This wasn't my ship, the ceilings of the ship were not made of adobe. I glanced around the strange room, then it hit me like a ton of bricks. 

The last memories. Vash had been standing over me. Gun pointed at my head, a determined look on his face. Then unconsciousness. 

He didn't kill me. 

"So you're finally awake. Heh, I was beginning to wonder if you ever would."

There was Vash leaned back in his chair, arms and legs crossed, silver gun in hand, pointed towards the ceiling. 

He looked different. His red coat was gone, replaced by the rugged human clothing. And his hair was no longer spiked, instead in a small pony tail. 

"Vash." I choked out, my throat dry from lack of water, "You're a fool for not killing me, you know. I could easily ---"

Something was wrong. I couldn't access my psychic powers, it felt like my mind was in a cage. Vash smiled, "Missing something?" 

I felt shock course through my body, "What did you do?"

That smiled never wavered, "Basically put you powers in a little box." 

Vash somehow blocked me from my powers? How? "How? I was under the impression that you revoked your powers." 

Vash's eyes narrowed dangerously, "You think I haven't learned anything over the past hundred years?"

I tried to sit up, but was hit with a pain like nothing I'd ever felt. Fire burned in both shoulders and thighs, as well as my side. I gasped involuntarily. 

Vash was suddenly at my side, placing two fingers on my collar bone, and pushing me back down, "Better not do that again, you'll only reopen your wounds."

I let myself fall back, and closed my eyes, willing the pain to go away. But, it, of course only seemed to double. 

A knock sounded on the door, and the dark aura Vash had been putting off, disappeared and he suddenly seemed...bubbly. 

Vash dropped his gun a small table, and swung open the door, grabbing the knocker in a vicious hug, "Meryl! My love!" 

Love? What? Curiosity getting the better of me, I tilted my head as much as I could to see who it was Vash had latched onto. 

"Dammit bone head, you're suffocating me! And crushing your doughnuts!" said a woman's muffled voice. 

Vash pushed to woman back and grabbed a small white box out of the woman's hands. 

He leapt back and twirled around, holding the box up into the air, "Ah, doughnuts! My second love!" 

Vash having leapt back, revealed the slightly ruffled woman. A human woman, of course. 

She looked familiar somehow. The familiarity was striking, but I couldn't quite place it. I hadn't known enough humans to have met her in passing. So... what was it. 

Ah, screw it. Who care's who the woman is. 

A few seconds later she noticed my stare, and jumped, "V-Vash!" She pointed to me, "He's--" 

"Awake. I know, he just woke a few minutes ago." Vash said before stuffing one of his doughnuts in his mouth. 

The woman, stared at me warily, then turned her attention to Vash. 

I looked back up to the ceiling, and ignored the two from there. God dammit. Now what was I going to do? 

Vash had literally immobilized me. Physically and mentally. Normally I didn't think he could block my powers like that. But he must have taken advantage of my unconscious mind. 

Damn.

Heyhey! Sorry for the slight delay, My beta reader was on vacation. 

But it did give me a chance to work on a little project I have going. I'm creating a Trigun shrine, it's turning out to be a bigger project than I thought it would be at first but hey it fun! 

****

Rosebud: Fear not, for I shall try my hardest to make an enjoyable story!

****

the old fart: 'the old fart' hehe i like that. THANKEE FOR REVIEWING! 

****

Rainy-days13: It shall continue! *Coughkisscough*


	7. Chapter 6: Talks

Disclaimer: Oo oo eek!

-

****

Nova

Chapter 6:

Talks

Milly

Now that Mr. Knives was awake, Mr. Vash seemed torn between being relieved and worried. Relieved that his brother was alright, and worried for Meryl and my safety. 

Mr. Vash barely had any time for himself now, he didn't go out and play with the children we passed or run towards the doughnut shops. He seemed tired, weary. Like life was pushing him back like the typhoon he was named for. 

But I think that finally knowing Meryl loved him, made him happier.

We were travelling again. Meryl drove and I sat in the passenger seat, while Mr. Vash and Mr. Knives sat n

the back. The two seemed to be talking about something, or arguing, I couldn't tell. The noise of the engine, and the sound of the tires on the road made it hard to hear them.

Meryl was taking the long way to January, on a well driven road, so as not to aggravate Mr. Knives' wounds. We had left the last town early this afternoon, Mr. Knives had said nothing the whole time, he just glared.

The poor man probably wasn't used to being around other people, every time I accidentally touched or

came near him he flinched back.

Mr. Vash said it was just because he didn't like humans. It's really very sad that he doesn't like us.

But if Mr. Vash says he can change then I believe he can too.

Meryl still seems skeptical though.

"Milly?" Meryl's distant voice reached my ears.

"Yes, Meryl?"

"Milly, why do you think Vash never did his whole woman chasing thing with me?"

I smiled, she was worried, naturally, "Oh, Meryl, I think Vash just has a lot of respect for you. He knew he didn't need that for you. Besides if he had done that, you would have kicked him all the way back to The Great Fall."

Meryl laughed, "Yeah, you're right."

"Don't worry Meryl, Vash loves you very much, he'll never do anything to hurt you."

"Can't say the same for Knives though." She muttered.

"Mister Vash thinks he'll change."

"Yeah, well not in our lifetimes. It's take a lot to change a 130 year life's mission. "

"Oh, you never know, Meryl. You never know till you try."

Knives

"If it wasn't bad enough, now you've got us stuck in a car with two humans!" I was saying to my idiot brother, "Why do you insist on hanging around with these vermin? I quite surprised that you haven't yet been corrupted by their vulture-like ways."

Vash peered at me over the edge of his glasses, I was beginning to hate the way he did that all the time, "How many time do I have to say it? Not all humans are the same. Some are very good natured."

"Oh, yeah, name five." I leaned back a little and challenged him with my eyes.

"Ok, Meryl--" he started.

"That conniving little witch?"

"Knnniiivesss." Vash said in a whine. 

"Next you're going to say that that tall human female is another. She's just so stupid that she doesn't know any better." 

"She's not stupid. Play chess with her, and you'll find that she's really intelligent."

"No, thanks." I ran my fingers through my hair and looked back out into the desert.

"You're not even willing to give them a chance are you?" 

"A chance to do what? Put a bunch of scars in me like they did you?"

Vash let out an exasperated sigh, "Knives you just--" 

"Where are we headed anyway?" I asked interrupting him.

Vash gave me a strange look, then said in almost a whisper, "The City of January."

"Ah. Why January? More good humans there you want me to meet?"

Vash's strange look changed to confusion, "I would think that you would know. We were thinking that it was one of yours that did it."

Did what? "Vash stop beating around the bush. What the hell are you talking about? Who or what of mine did what?"

Vash lifted his chin, "January was destroyed. In almost the same manner as July and Augusta."

"When?"

"Almost two weeks ago."

I shook my head, "Vash the only people who would be capable of destroying a whole city like July or Augusta, is just you and me. And even if they could have done it, all of the Gung-Ho-Guns are dead."

"So it wasn't you."

"I wish."

Vash sighed and scrutinized the passing desert with

faraway eyes.

So. January was destroyed. Interesting. And in the same way as the other two cities.

Could it be possible that another Plant was out there, carrying on my work?

I would think that I would be aware of another free-borne plant from my sisters in the bulbs. 

Evidently not.

This was good, but I cant help but wonder...

"Vash, you said that it was in almost the same manner of the other cities."

"Yeah?"

"What was different?"

"In July and Augusta there was rubble left over after the blast, and also no one died. But from hat we've gathered, in January there was nothing left, just flat charred ground, and only one survivor.

"Plus, the other two were only about 25 square iles of destruction. January was over 400 square iles."

_400 square iles. Good god, if it's a plant, which it has to be, then his or her angel arm would have to be at 208 percent output._

Both Vash's and my guns only went up to 13 percent.

I smiled to myself, _if I could find this person... _

Then maybe I could convince him to join me.

Myuch thankees to almighty foo.

FireDemonKitsune84: Thanks for reviewing. 

VashraBloodReeper: Thanks for reviewing!

Saroya: Thanks for reviewing! I love Knives too! He's such a cutie!

Malster: yeah, so did I, J 

Rosebud: As always thankee. And I know it has been 130 years but I was under the impression that Knives and Vash split after about thirty years. But I suppose he could have picked up somethink from watching Knives 

Sepik: I'll do that keep trying! You'll get better!

geez, everyone really seems to like my VxM. So HAPPY! 6 reviews for one chapter! That's a record for me!

Except for the poem though. 


	8. Chapter 7: Charred Lands

Disclaimer: Hah! I own nothing but my fingers that type a plagiarized world. Hah!

****

Nova

Chapter 7:

Charred Lands

Vash

"Yeah, it's about five iles along the edge of the blast line." The man said. He was explaining to me

where a small camp had been set up to study the blast area.

"Ok, thank you." I said and walked back to the truck. Knives of course, was sitting in the bed of the truck

while Meryl and Milly, were in a nearby store getting more supplies. We had no idea of when we would make it

back to any civilization. Best to be prepared, if you know what I mean.

I climbed into the bed of the truck and plopped myself next to Knives. He looked up momentarily from

the notebook I'd bought him a couple of days ago, then back to his writing.

"Well?" He asked.

"Well what?"

Knives looked up, and exasperated look on his face, "Well what did the human have to say?"

"Just that there's a small camp about five iles away. The only survivor of the blast is there too. We should

be able to question him Get a first hand account of what happened."

"After what I've heard I find it surprising that this human even managed to survive out of a population of

five million."

"Yeah," I said quietly, just as Meryl and Milly came out of the store.

They set the bags just inside the bed and Milly closed the tailgate. 

Meryl leaned on the edge of the truck and asked, "So where to?"

I straightened myself up a little and pointed out toward some high hills to the north, "Head that way,

the guy told me that once we go over those hills we'll see the blast area for ourselves, then turn left and drive for few iles. There's a camp there." 

Meryl nodded, gave Knives a narrow eyed glance then slide into the driver's seat. Milly got into the

passenger side.

"You know she's going to die." Knives said, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"What?" I breathed.

"Your little human, whether or not I succeed in getting rid of the human race in her lifetime, she will die." He said just as the truck started up, and it began moving.

I looked away, "I'm aware of that." 

"And yet you're not worried about it are you? Why? What can you gain from this relationship?"

"Nothing. Except for Meryl's love. And yes I know that someday she will die, but I will cherish every moment

that I have with her. Because she's the best thing that's happened to me since we crashed on this planet.

And I love her. That's something you may not understand Knives."

Knives' face went a little red, "Just because I want to get rid of the vermin that is the human race, does

not mean that I am not an uncaring person. I care very deeply about the welfare of our people, I want to save

them. And that is something you do not understand, brother. Not once have I seen you reach out to help

one of our people. It always humans this and humans that."

I glared at him, "Who says that I don't care about out people! Who says that I haven't been searching for a

way to free them? I have. It's a little slower than your way, but at least I'm not condemning a whole race

to their deaths!"

Knives snorted, "Sure."

Our little talk had consumed much of my awareness that I barely noticed that the truck had stopped and that

both Meryl and Milly were out of the truck.

I stood and stared out at the desert.

Knives copied my action only his face contorted with pain as he stood.

"Good God..." I whispered.

As far as the eye could see. Blackened earth spreading farther than the horizon. What we heard was true.

Nothing was left. Not even the landmark mesas that used to stand not seven miles away.

I could see small glitters in to charred sand. Glass. 

The blast was hot enough to have created chunks of glass out of the sand.

Whoever had done this... they were very powerful. Very powerful. 

When we reached the camp Meryl and Milly went inside to talk to the supervisor of the camp.

Knives and I stood out side next to the truck facing towards the charred earth.

"This thing wiped out everything, even the plants, which are some of the most heavily shielded places on

Gunsmoke." Knives was saying.

"Yeah? So?" I asked.

"So I'm saying that I don't think that this was a plant. No plant would have done this," He waved his

hand expressively at the barren land. "January had 135 plants in it. No plant would wipe out that many our

people just to get rid of a few humans. And to add to it the land is now virtually uninhabitable. With it

charred to that extent nothing could possibly grow there."

I could see that the sight of the blast area, had shaken even Knives, someone who I had thought wouldn't

be able to feel like that. This was comforting in a way, even if it was only for the plants.

Knives slumped and a sad look crossed his face, "So many of our people died, Vash. Whoever this person is

we have to stop them before they do it again. There are much better ways to get rid of the humans without

so many of our people being lost."

I crossed my arms a leaned back, "Yeah... well...." 

"Vash!"

I turned and saw, Meryl waving for me to come closer. 

I patted Knives' shoulder and led him after Meryl. 

****

Saroya: Thank you and you're welcome. Happy to be of service.

****

LegacyRBluesummers: Oh yes definitely. and someone is going to fall for Knives, and the other way around. You'll see soon enough.

****

Rosebud: Woah! To many questions! haha! I just can't help but wonder if you all are going to be a pleasantly surprised as I hope you will be when you find out who it is. Milly will find out, I had an idea about when and how but I might make her find out a little bit sooner, we'll see. I don't really know about Knives hurting them yet. Vash hasn't really let them get too close to him.

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Neptune Butterfly: Thank you, I love getting new readers. Sappy moments will come but after I introduce my OC. As for our dear Kuroneko-sama... I've been so involved in writing a rather serious story that I forgot poor Kuroneko-sama. But just for you I will put him in. 

****

Rainy-days13: ^_^


	9. Chapter 8: Another One

Disclaimer: Hamster poo! *Say WHAT!*  
  
Nova  
  
Chapter 8: Another One  
  
I entered the Medical tent, Vash and Knives not far behind.  
  
Milly was already there, kneeling next to a small bed in the corner.  
  
A man was sitting up in the bed, his eyes were covered by a bandage, and the burn scars all over his face were almost painful to look at. I was glad that he had a bandage coving his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the look that I couldn't help showing, on my face.  
  
Milly had tears in her eyes. "Oh, Meryl..."  
  
I knelt down next to the bed and took the mans hand, I heard Vash and Knives come and stand behind me, "Sir, my name is Meryl, Meryl Stryfe. I know this my be painful for you to say and relive but we need to know what you saw. But first what's your name?"  
  
The man lightly squeezed my hand, "My name? Ethan Dosty."  
  
"Ok, Ethan. Tell me what happened."  
  
"I, I was restless. That night. I was just standing outside on my balcony. Everything... Everything was so--"  
  
His eyes began to tear up, and he swallowed.  
  
"Did you see anything strange. I mean strange before the blast." I asked.  
  
He nodded, cleared his throat, and began to explain to us what he saw that night. The stranger passing by, the meteor crash and the pillars of light coming from the center of the city.  
  
  
  
"How could those three things possibly be connected?" Meryl was saying as we left the medical tent.  
  
Milly clasped her hands under her chin, "Oh! You don't think that it could just be a meteor?"  
  
I shook my head, "No, it couldn't be. This was too destructive, plus I'd think that a meteor big enough to leave this much damage would have at least left a crater."  
  
"So what do we do now?" Meryl asked.  
  
I shrugged, "Beats the hell outta me. I mean c'mon what in the world can we possibly get from a small meteor, pillars of light, and someone in a sandy colored cloak? Heck, we don't even know if this person's female or male!"  
  
"No to mention the fact that there are hundreds if not thousands of sandy colored cloaks all over the planet." Knives muttered.  
  
"We'll we have to start somewhere." Meryl said.  
  
Knives smirked at Meryl, "What do you suggest? We go to every cloak shop and get lists of all the people who bought sandy colored cloaks?"  
  
She glared at him, and I frowned. It wasn't beyond Knives to simply get fed up with her and attack, and if he decided to. I was ready to protect her, but I was hoping things wouldn't come to that. "No. He said that this stranger came from the north."  
  
"But there's nothing up there." I said.  
  
"Exactly! But where did this person come from? He couldn't have just materialized out there."  
  
"So... what? We head north. There's no telling what's up there, that's uncharted territory. No one in their right mind would go there. Even I haven't been up that way."  
  
Knives snickered, "I think you just said that you aren't in your right mind Vash."  
  
I glared at him over the edge of my glasses and punched him in the shoulder, "Shut up, you."  
  
He laughed, rubbing his shoulder, and clenched his fist, ready to hit back.  
  
"Another one!" Someone yelled, the four of us turned our head towards the speaker.  
  
A young man was running up the hill from the small village, he was yelling frantically between gasps for air.  
  
His yelling attracted the attention of everyone in the tents and they all came out to investigate.  
  
The Chief Doctor pushed his way through the small crowd and stopped the man, "What has happened?"  
  
"Another blast area has been found." The young man panted.  
  
"Where?" I interjected.  
  
"About halfway between here and December, same size too."  
  
"Was anyone killed?" Meryl asked.  
  
The man shook his head, "Not that we are aware of, it was in an unpopulated part of the desert. But we can't be sure with 400 square iles of desert."  
  
"Were there any witnesses to it happening?"  
  
The man nodded, "Caspian is about ten iles from the edge of the blast area. The whole town saw it. The Mayor and the Sheriff are collecting accounts of the sight."  
  
I tapped Meryl's shoulder, as the crowd began talking among themselves, and she looked up at me, "Yes?"  
  
"Were heading to Caspian."  
  
  
  
Rosebud: To answer your question, I don't really know if they will die or not. The hair darkening effect could be a cause, our they could die from natural causes, but I don't think it will be for a very long, long time. And chapter ten or eleven will reveal his future love interest.  
  
Vashra BloodReeper: Thank you, Vashra, that's really nice to hear.  
  
Rainy-days13: ^_^ 


	10. Chapter 9: Caspian

Disclaimer: Soggy boggy froggy loggy. EH? O_O ooookay....

****

Nova

Chapter 9: Caspian

Knives

The town of Caspian was incredibly quiet. Even with the humans out and about, a strange feeling hovered in the air. A feeling of apprehension. Like this town was next.

Witnessing the blast must have sent their feeble minds into a state of shock. Staring out the window of the

hotel I could see them all, they walked around like living ghosts, moving from place to place, their steps

no more than whispers.

I smirked. A little bright light and they're all scared out of their wits. If they had any in the first

place.

"It doesn't make any sense." Vash said, interrupting my thoughts.

"What doesn't?" I asked turning my head away from the window towards Vash, who was looking at a simple map of the surrounding area.

"That the second blast happened in an unpopulated area. The more I think about it, the less it makes sense."

I grunted and looked back out the window, "What I want to know is, who has the power? As much as I hate to say it: It has to be a plant. Even though I can't see why he would wipe out our brethren."

"But what would motivate someone to do this? Wiping out a city of countless millions. Including over 130

plants. It doesn't fit anyone's MO that I can think of."

"Until we get more evidence, were only going to be guessing. And then second guessing." Vash pounded his fist on the table and sighed, "But we have nothing to go on. Nothing."

__

*Dream*

I see someone, not far off, they are standing in a shadow. I can't see who they are. 

I walk closer to the person. And then I stop. 

The other, steps forward out of the shadow- 

*End dream*

I shot up in bed, a gasp escaping my mouth involuntarily.

That dream. What was it?

Ever since I had first woken, after Vash's and my battle. I'd been have that same dream. Every night.

I couldn't understand it. It made no sense. At first I couldn't remember anything about the dream. Left, in

waking, with only a feeling of urgency. Then as the nights passed, they became clearer, but always ending

at the same exact time.

For some reason I had the feeling that the dream was connected to everything that was happening.

Vash

That morning at breakfast we were all-including Knives-sitting at the table in Meryl and Milly's room.

Knives was staring off into space. He hadn't touched his eggs or toast.

"I'll be right back," I said, "I'm going to get a paper."

Meryl nodded, Milly took another spoonful of pudding, and Knives didn't even blink.

I traipsed out of the hotel and across the street to the convenience store. It was still early, so not very

many people were out, except for an old man sitting beside the door. His eye's were clouded over, and he

idle tapped his cane on the sandy porch.

Instinctively I nodded to him, but of course he couldn't see me. So I entered the store, bought the

paper and hurried back to the hotel. 

I was getting some odd vibes off Knives, when I reached the upper floor, I heard yelling coming from

the end of the hall. From Meryl and Milly's room.

I sprinted the last few feet of the stairs and hall and flung open the door.

The table was knocked over, Milly was back up against the wall, holding her hands in front of her mouth

watching Meryl and Knives, who were facing each other, Meryl was yelling, "- you don't own the whole goddam freaking world Mr. Knives Millions! You have no right to be ordering me around!"

She was pounding her fist against Knives' chest to emphasize each word.

Suddenly Knives just snapped, he gritted his teeth and lunged at Meryl, he had his hand around her neck

holding her up against the wall.

I dropped the paper, and rushed to Knives and tried to Pull him off.

"Don't you dare touch me you filthy human!"

"Knives! Let her go!" I grabbed his collar and yanked him back, Milly took that chance and rushed to Meryl's side. 

I pulled him out of the room and slammed him against the hallway wall, "What in the hell are you thinking!"

Knives straightened his collar, "Keep you woman out of my face, Vash, or else next time I kill her."

"Knives..."

He turned away and entered our room, slamming the door behind him.

I shook my head. Damn, what had happened while I'd been gone for just a few seconds?

I went back to Meryl and Milly's room to see if Meryl was alright.

Later that night

"I will not!" Knives said indignantly.

"Well I do, but I sure as hell am not leaving you here alone. Not after what happened this morning.." I shot

back, currently trying, and I mean trying to get Knives to go to the bar with me.

"I do not and will not mingle with those vermin!" Knives backed up against the wall and wrinkled his

nose in disgust.

"You're coming with me!" I yelled and grabbed his shirt.

He swatted my hand away and backed further into the corner.

"Aw, c'mon! I haven't had a good drink since... well forever! And this town has a bar."

Knives pointed to the door, "Then go! And leave me be. Because I am not going!"

"Oh, jeez Knives, please? You can sit in the corner and mope for all I care, and not have to mingle with

the 'vermin' but we are going!"

I made a mad grab for his waist and practically carried him out of there. Just as we were leaving the

hotel's front door, he knocked me over the head with his heel of his palm, making me drop him.

He straightened his shirt and glared at me, "Fine I will go. But there is no way that I'm having any of

that damn stuff you insist on calling a drink."

"Yes!" I congratulated myself.

Knives just shook his head, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

We entered the smallish bar a little bit later. Conversation was subdued to a low murmur, barely heard

over the light jazz tunes played by the three person band at the back of the room.

Everyone looked up as we entered. "Heh," I laughed and waved. They all went back to their drinks.

Knives and I took seats at a table to the far right of the room, hidden halfway in a shadow. A petite

waitress approached our table and leaned on the back of one of the empty chairs.

"What'll you two have?" 

I cleared my throat, took a quick glance at Knives and ordered a beer.

The waitress, switched her gaze from me to Knives, "And how about you?"

He gave her a half-lidded stare, "Unless you have wine, which I highly doubt, nothing."

The waitress nodded, "We have wine. Merlot, and White Zinfandel."

Knives raised his eyebrows at this, and I hid my smile behind my hand.

"The White Zinfandel then. Well? Don't just stand there wasting time!"

The waitress huffed and stalked toward the kitchen. 

I chuckled and Knives glared at me.

The waitress returned with our drinks minutes later.

I took a sip on my drink just as the bar doors opened and someone in a sandy hood and cloak stepped in. 

Like when Knives and I entered, everyone in the bar looked up at the newcomer, then after a few seconds

went back to their drinks. The hooded person looked around almost nervously, then when not seeing what

ever it was he/she was looking for seemed to sigh with relief.

The person, reached up and pushed back their hood. Revealing a young woman with blue colored hair, and... gold eyes. 

Hello folks! I would have updated yesterday, but I've been having a seriously crappy last couple of days. I put some(evil) acne medicine on my face, and now my face is having an allergic reaction to something in it, making it WORSE!

Ooog.

And it is seriously putting a number on my psychological well being, I've already snapped at my brother a couple of times, and the poor guy was just asking for some help with his homework. Oy.

Let me let you all in on a little secret. I've always kept my self at two to four chapters written ahead of the one posted. That way I can update at my leisure and not the leisure of my muse. My poor muse had a falling out the last week but you didn't know that because I had more chapters already written. But hey look! Even with my allergic face I managed to get through my writers block and finished chapter 13! A week was all I needed to get through it! Yay for me! 

Good grief! I think that's the longest authors note I've ever written! 

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As always much thanks to foo!

Reviewer Responses!

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Rosebud: Well let's see.. Ethan travelling with them? I don't know, I'll have to consider that. It's definitely an interesting idea. And there was Knives and his eruption. 'Fraid it wasn't much, sorry.

**Baz:** Thanks for the advice, I'll try to keep up with your expectations.

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Neptune Butterfly: S'okay that you didn't review last chapter. I seriously got to find a place to put in our beloved Kuroneko-Sama. I'm going to have some VM fluff in chapter 14(Going to start writing that tonight or tomorrow night.) 

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Thanks for reviewing, everyone!


	11. Chapter 10: Monsters

Disclaimer: !@#$%^&* ...huh...? 

Nova

Chapter 10: Monsters

Knives

The woman's eyes scanned the room, looking for an empty table, spotting a table in the back corner she moved swiftly towards it. Her feet barely making a sound. 

Slipping her bag off of her shoulder and letting it drop onto the floor, she sat in the chair that would give her a full view of the room and its patrons. Her brow knitted together with worry as some of the male humans eyed her. 

Vash leaned over, but kept his eyes on the woman, "Her eyes are like Legato's."

I lifted my chin a little, "Yes, I see that."

"Think she's related to him?" 

I snorted, "I wouldn't know, I found Legato wandering at the age of four, calling for his parents telepathically. I have no knowledge of his relations." _Nor do I want to know._ I said to myself silently.

"Oh, man... I hope there aren't a bunch of Legato like people wandering around." Vash whined mostly to himself.

I tuned out Vash's voice and stared at the golden eyed human. If there were others like Legato... I had always thought him one of a kind, a fluke in human genetics. But the presence of this woman, said

otherwise.

This could be a problem, even a few humans with Legato's level of power could be a threat to my hopes of freeing the Plants.

But then again, if I could find more of these people and get them under my control...

I smiled, it could work.

I glanced at Vash and flinched, except for him of course. Vash was intent on keeping me under constant watch.

I sighed. This was no good. He had beaten me once. He could very well do it again. 

Strange how he ceased to surprise me after 130 years. 

I glanced back at the gold-eyed woman. She was speaking to the waitress who had a very pale face, I smirked, just looking at the woman's strange appearance seemed to frighten the waitress..

Pathetic humans. Frightened so easily.

The waitress nodded at the woman, and left for the kitchen.

Suddenly the bar door and wall around it shattered inward. Vash and I threw ourselves to the ground. 

The people closest to the wall were buried under the rubble created. I could hear their shouts for help. I expected gunfire to start any second. I peered over the edge of the table and saw four cloaked figures. They were tall, very tall, I could only guess about eight feet tall.

One of them let out a sound halfway between a hiss and a growl. 

I expected them to head for Vash, thinking that they were bounty hunters, but instead they headed for the back. Towards the gold-eyed woman.

The woman was crouched behind her own table and was hastily trying to get something from out of her bag.

Vash crawled over next to me and watched the four cloaked figures approach the woman. 

She finally pulled out a strange looking gun and pointed it at the four, I could already tell she didn't know how to use it. She held the gun as if it were going to bite her.

One of them, the leader, reached out a hand and knocked the gun out of her hand. Whatever these thing were... they weren't any thing close to human. The thing's hand... it had been scaly, muscular, and had

black claws. 

I wasn't the only one to see the appearance of the hand, I heard Vash gasp, and a few of the human women scream.

The woman tried to dive to the left of them, but ended up being tangled in a table cloth. The leader took that chance, reached down and grabbed the woman by the back of her neck. 

She cried out and tried to kick the beast.

It spun around and threw her into a wall. She slumped limply to the ground.

"I gotta save her." Vash muttered to himself. I saw him reach for his gun and before I could say anything, he jumped out into the fray.

He used one of the beasts as a springboard and tackled another who was standing over the woman. 

A third one took a swipe at Vash getting to back of his head. Vash stumbled forward from the blow. 

Damn. Vash couldn't go up against these thing alone. He'd be killed.

I stood and grabbed the nearest object I could find, which happened to be a beer bottle. I threw it at the beast approaching my brother.

The bottle shattered against its head making the hood fall. Its face was like nothing I'd ever seen in my life. Its head looked very much like that of a some sort of lizard. It had a large snout, and vicious

looking teeth sticking out of its jaws. Its eyes were black pools. 

The thing swiftly turned in my direction and roared. 

My god, what the hell were these things?!

"Knives! Look out!" 

I dived to the side and rolled to a stop at the other side of the room.

The thing lunged at me and it tried slicing me across the stomach, but only succeeded opening a few of my old wounds.

Vash took a shot, and the metal chandelier above the beast's head came crashing down.

I saw Vash crawl up next to the woman and lift her up, "Let's go!"

I dogged another blow by the beast and ran after Vash out through the missing wall.

I hear four distinct roars of anger behind me and ran faster. 

Sorry for the delay my peoples! I hope it was worth the wait. My beta reader was traveling. I nearly went insane from the wait, I can only wonder about you all. 

It might be a little bit more time for the next chapter, I did have a few more written but I'm not really happy with them so I'm going to do some rewriting.

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Reviewer Responses.

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Ala: Thank you very much Ala. 

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Rosebud: What occurred between Meryl and Knives i think i might leave to your imagination. Heh I'm so evil. Sorry it took so long.

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Neptune Butterfly: Crikey! You don't know how close you are! You're so smart!

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El Hustino: Thank you thank youthankyouthankyou! For all your reviews Lord Hustino. You've made me the happiest person in the world! 

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LegacyRBluesummers: So right!

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Rainy-days13: no, no sex change. Just another Lanothian(Yo'll find out later what Lanoth is.)

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Saroya: Tell me about it. I got a bunch of stuff too. And i'm Home Schooled!

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Vashra BloodReeper: Thank you I'm glad you enjoy my stories!


	12. Chapter 11: The Woman

Disclaimer: This is the sound of an atom splitting.... **BRAPPP!**

Nova 

Chapter 11: The Woman.

Meryl

The blue-haired woman lay on of the bed, silent, except for her labored breathing. She had yet to regain consciousness. I stared at her face, images of Legato forcing those men to hold gun to me and Milly's heads coming back full force. 

Vash, and Knives stood at the foot of the bed, saying nothing. Vash kept glancing back and forth between the woman and Knives, who had a very thoughtful look on his face. 

That jerk. His freaking superiority complex was enough for ten kings, and their Prime Ministers. I really hoped that he wouldn't cause trouble. But knowing himeven as little as I did, it seemed inevitable that he would. 

I shook my head and looked towards the door just as it opened. Milly entered with a white box with a red cross on it in her arms. "I got the med-kit, Meryl." She said.

I nodded, and stepped closer to the sleeping woman to examine her injuries a little better. Her left arm was broken in a couple of places, and she had multiple bruises.

It was hard to tell but I thought she might have a slight concussion, not to mention that she had a large gash across her side. It was bleeding pretty badly.

"Vash. You and Knives better leave so Milly and I can wrap her side." 

Vash looked worried, "But Meryl, what if she wakes up?"

"Don't worry, Vash. Anyway what makes you think she's _anything_ like... Legato?"

"Well... I don't... but...."

"Leave, Vash. Seriously, don't worry, that's my job. Look if it makes you feel any better wait out side the door and I'll call if she causes trouble."

Vash nodded and left, Knives followed not far behind.

"Let's get this cape of hers off." I said.

I pulled the cape away and a small wallet fell out of a hidden pocket. 

"Oh, look," said Milly, "It might have some ID in it, Meryl. Would it be wrong to look?"

"I don't think so," I said and picked the wallet up.

I opened it up, all I found was money. And a photo.

In the photo, there was a family. An older man with white streaks in his blue hair along his temples stood in the background. Two young women sat cross-legged in the foreground. The younger of the two woman I recognized as the woman currently laying on the bed in front of me. 

"Looks like there's writing on the back." Milly noted.

I flipped the photo around and read the writing on the back.

__

'Dad, Aria, and Kestrel. Marian's birthday party CY 129.'

"There are two name's here that could be hers," I said, "Either Aria or Kestrel."

"Is there anything else?" Milly asked.

"No, nothing," I slipped the photo back into the wallet and placed it on the table that was between the two beds.

"She's bleeding pretty badly, Meryl."

"Yeah, I'm going to go get some water and some clean towels to clean the wound. "

Kestrel

__

.... Voices...?

Where...?

"Milly, hand me those bandages."

That voice again.

__

Who...?

Crap, why can't I move?

What in the hell is going on? I should be dead. Right?

Those creatures... they were right there. So, why am I not dead?

Did someone save me?

"Meryl she's waking up." Another voice?

I blinked my eyes, rapidly trying to gain some ground on my bearings. The first things I saw were two people.

Two women.

"Where...?" I managed to croak out.

"You're at a hotel. About ten blocks from that bar."

I shot up and immediately regretted it. The pain in my side was ten-fold.

I grunted and laid back down, "Ten blocks? I... I can't stay here. If those creatures come for me--"

"Then we'll deal with them when they get here. Don't worry, with Vash here we'll be alright" 

"Who?"

"Vash." 

"Mr. Vash is Meryl's boyfriend." The other woman piped up.

"She doesn't need to know that!"

"Oh, sorry, Meryl."

I flicked my gaze back and forth between the two. How strange, "How did I get here. I was sure that I was a goner."

"Oh, Vash and his brother saved you." Meryl said.

"Oh."

Meryl smiled, "I'm Meryl Stryfe, and this is my partner Milly Thompson."

Milly smiled.

"I'm Kestrel, Kestrel Bluesummers."

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Saroya: Thank you. And thanks for Reviewing!

Rainy-days13: OLOL. TFR

El Hustino: It is here Lord Hustino! It is here!
    
    Rosebud: Thankee! TFR


	13. Chapter 12: An Explanation

Disclaimer: Typhoon Bloon Stoon.

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Nova

Chapter 12: An Explanation

Vash

"Stop pacing, Vash!" Knives finally yelled after I had paced the hall for the thousandth time.

I halted mid-step and let out a sigh, "But--"

"Oh stop." Knives narrowed his eyes, "Where's that infamous 'trust humanity' thing of yours? Oh what's this? Is it that I was wrong? You don't completely trust humanity?"

I glared at him and looked away, "It's not that. I don't trust Legato. And if that girl really is related to him--"

The door to Meryl and Milly's room opened, and Meryl stepped out, she closed the door behind her, and leaned back against it.

Her face was a little pale.

"Meryl? Meryl what is it?"

She didn't look up, but just stared at the floor a little distantly, "I expected it-but for some reason it didn't really seem real..."

"Meryl... What. Is. It?"

She finally looked up, "She woke, and she told us her name." 

"What is it?" I asked.

"Her name is Kestrel Bluesummers."

I heard myself gasp, and looked at Knives to see if any recognition crossed his face. None did. He glanced back at me, pale eyebrows knitted together in a frown, "What?"

"Nothing." I looked back to Meryl, "So she's awake?"

Meryl nodded and opened the door. 

Kestrel

Meryl entered the room followed by two men. They both scrutinized me, each in their own way. 

I nodded my head at the both of them in greeting. The one with the glasses returned the gesture, but the other one merely narrowed his icy blue eyes. 

He met my gaze with one of his own and all of a sudden I felt unable to move. His eyes paralyzed me, rooted me to my spot. For what seemed like hours he stared me down his gaze unwavering.

Suddenly he looked away, and I heard Meryl talking in the middle of a sentence.

"-and Knives."

"I'm sorry," I smiled sheepishly, "I didn't catch that."

Meryl pointed to the two men, "The one with the glasses is Vash, and the other is his brother Knives."

I nodded again, "Thank you... for saving me. My name is Kestrel Bluesummers"

The man--Vash--visibly flinched at the name 'Bluesummers,' "You're welcome... Kestrel. But, um, I have a question."

I locked gazes with Vash, "Yes?"

"Did you happen to know a _Legato_ Bluesummers?"

__

Legato...?

"Where did you hear that name?" I whispered.

Vash looked a little taken aback, "Uh, well... we met a couple of times."

"Legato... Legato was my brother."

"Your brother." Said Vash.

"But I... we... we thought he was dead."

"Why would you think that?" Asked Meryl.

I shifted my sitting position on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Legato, my brother.

"You see, 23 years ago, my brother and mother, left our home to visit some friend in July. My sister Aria--Legato's twin--and I couldn't go because we'd gotten the flu. My father stayed at home to care for us. So they went alone."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, "Then we heard of the destruction of July. And when we didn't hear back form Mother..."

I shook my head and looked back down to my hands, "Papa went back to July and searched for any signs of either my brother or my mother, but found nothing."

"I'm sorry." Said Vash.

A single tear fell just as I came to realize something, my head shooting up to look into his eyes once again, "But wait! You said you met him! He's still alive, right?"

I saw Vash's Adam's Apple bob as he swallowed, "No, I'm sorry, again. He died a couple of months ago."

I felt my spirits suddenly drop, "Oh."

Knives shifted his weight from on foot to the other, and stared me in the eye, "What were those things? Those creatures?"

The four of them watched me curiously, waiting for my answer.

I looked down at my clasped hands, "I don't know."

"Well you must have some idea." Said Meryl, "There must be some reason why they would be attacking you."

"Obviously," I said, "But I don't know what it is. One day about a month and a half ago, in Lanoth--"

"Lanoth? Never heard of it." asked Vash.

"I doubt you would." I looking up at him, "It's a secluded valley up north, barely anyone on the outside knows of it, and no one from the valley divulges its location or even knowledge of it. We like to keep our privacy."

"And you're telling us this?" Asked Meryl.

I shrugged, "Well I suppose you have the right to know. You did save my life." I pushed the hair out of my eyes and sighed, "Anyway,

back at the valley, this meteor like thing came crashing down. What was left was some sort of egg shaped machine. It opened up revealing the first of those creatures. They passed everyone they came across, ignoring them, and came straight for me. I don't know why, but I decided that if Lanoth was to say undestroyed I would have to leave."

Milly who had been quiet through most of it looked at my cloak with was draped over a chair then back to me, "Oh my."

"What?" asked Meryl.

"She--she-she's the one who destroyed January."

The other three looked at me sharply.

"Is she right? Did you destroy January?" Vash asked, his voice low and almost menacing.

I suddenly felt cornered, "Yes but--"

Meryl and Milly both gasped.

No. "No! It was an accident. Somehow--this didn't happen the first time I met with them--but somehow when my force shield met with theirs... it created a..." I frowned, sighing, "Well I don't know really what it created...but the conflicting energies created the blast the destroyed the city.

"Force shield?" Knives spoke up.

"Yes, it's a psychic shield, a very basic power among Lanothians."

"Does it have a color?" asked Vash.

"Mine is purple in color. Those creatures' shields were yellow." 

"This pillars of light that Ethan saw." Meryl said to Vash.

I looked away, "I don't know how those damn creatures managed to get such powers... but" I sighed, putting my hands over my eyes and shaking my head, "Oh god, this is bad. The longer I stay in one place like this, the sooner those creatures will find me and another January will happen here." I looked each of them in the eye, "Please understand, I didn't mean for any of those people to die. Nor do I want it to happen again... so I must leave. Now."

Knives and Vash exchanged glances, "Well look," said Vash, "It's late, we should get some rest, and you're in no condition to be going off on your own. We'll leave in the morning, OK?"

I frowned, staring at him for a few silent moments then glancing at Knives, "Okay.

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MUCH THANKS BE TO FOO!

There will be a little more about Kestrel and her people later on. You'll all find out just _what_ the Lanothians _really_ are.

A lot of pleasant surprises are in store!

I offer digital TACOS to any one who reviews! bribe bribe 

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Reviewer Responses!

El Hustino: Break things? Hehe luckily I have gotten this out just when I did, huh? 

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LegacyRBluesummers: *Stares at Legato* *Begins to drool*

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Rosebud: Well Kestrel hasn't seen her poor brother since she was like three. But there is more background info to come.

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Tempest Strife: I'm very glad that you are enjoying this. And believe me the lizard men have a very good reason for being there. 

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ShadowDemon+Gengar: Yeah, you guessed it. Your stories rock too! XD

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Chibi Chibi: Hehe, I'm really, really glad so many people are liking this!

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Rainy-days13: OLOL.

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Neptune Butterfly: Next chapter will have fluff. I don't really know if it'll be any good but It'll be posted ASAP.

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Till next time my peoples!
    
    .


	14. Chapter 13: Love Interrupted

Disclaimer: Errg.

(A/N:) FLUFF! I hope it's good enough.

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Nova

Chapter 13: Love Interrupted

Meryl

Knives and Vash had long gone back to their room, and Kestrel and Milly had gone to bed. I gave Kestrel my bed so I was heading down to the office to see if they had any cots.

"Meryl!" I heard Vash call form behind me. I turned and waited for him to catch up to me, "What are you

doing up?"

"Oh, I wanted to go down to the office and see if they had a cot I could use." 

"Oh, why didn't you say so? You could come sleep with me." His eyes looked hopeful.

I snorted then laughed, "Yeah sure, Vash, I doubt Knives would be too happy about that."

"Heh heh heh." Vash smiled, "Yeah he'd probably be having nightmares for weeks afterward."

I laughed at the thought of Knives having a nightmare about that.

"What about you? Why are you still up?"

"Wanted to make sure the truck was locked."

"Ah." I said as we began walking down the hall.

"Uh, Meryl, speaking of Knives... I was wondering just what it was that happened this morning... Between you and Knives."

"Oh. That. It was nothing, really."

"Really Meryl, It couldn't have been nothing. Either you did something to provoke him or he did something

to provoke you. Please tell me?"

I brushed some of the hair out of my eyes and tilted my head downward, "He called me a fool. A fool for believing that you loved me. He said that-that you would drop me the minute you saw someone better."

"And you believed him?"

"No! No, of course not. I told him that it was he who was the fool. Then he ordered me to leave you or he

would kill me. The nerve of the man." 

Vash suddenly pulled me into a hug. Not bone crushing as I knew he could do, but not a loose hold either. 

"Meryl I'll always love you. No matter what my brother may say otherwise. Never forget that."

"I know that Vash. That's why I got so angry at him."

"I don't want you to get hurt, especially by Knives. Maybe It'll be best if you avoided him for a little while."

I pushed back a little and looked up into his eyes, "Now wait a moment mister, I've come too far here to

back down from just a little threat. If you want your brother get used to idea of humans then he'll just have to deal with our relationship."

Vash smiled at that, "You're right you know. Thank you, Meryl."

"For what?"

"For being yourself."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, really. I'd better go check on the truck."

"I'll go with you, I should get my purse."

Vash

I turned the key in the lock, then pulled it out after I heard the lock click.

I turned and saw Meryl standing on the porch of the hotel. The light from the moons overhead

framed her face. Her head was tilted to the side and her eyes and mouth smiled at me. 

Her white business suit shone brightly, making her look like an angel. An angel without wings.

I couldn't help but gasp.

Her smile widened, "What?"

I stepped up to her, pulling her close and leaning down so that my nose touched tip of hers. I smiled, kissing her lightly on the lips, "Captivated by your beauty."

Even in the dark I could see the deep blush that touched upon her cheeks. I pulled her into a deeper

kiss, and she returned it with one of her own.

"To bad we can't afford another room." she said after we came up for air.

"Yeah. Oh, hey! Look! the truck."

"The truck? Vash, what if someone sees us?"

"Who cares." I whispered, kissing her softly again.

"Vash you are--"

After that I didn't hear what else she said. What I did hear was a low growl and a hiss. 

I froze and listened more carefully, but heard nothing more. However, what I had heard was enough to tell me that they were out there.

"Meryl don't move."

"What? Vash, what is--" she tried to pull back, but I tightened my hold on her and held her to my chest, 

"Shh, they're out there."

"Vash, who? Who's out there? Bounty hunters?"

"No, those creatures that were trying to kill Kestrel."

Suddenly I head an all out roar, and one of the creatures strode around the corner of one of the buildings ahead and stalked toward the hotel.

I grabbed Meryl's hand and ran for the hotel door. I burst through it, startling the owner, who fell out of

his chair.

As I practically dragged Meryl up the stairs, I heard him yell a string of curses that I'd not care repeat

anytime soon.

I stopped at the door to Meryl and Milly's room and wasted no time telling Meryl to wake Milly and Kestrel.

Before she had a chance to say anything otherwise I'd sprinted toward the door to Knives and my room and bust through it, flicking on the light as I entered.

Knives shot up in bed and looked pissed, "Vash, what in the hell--"

"Knives!" I swallowed and took a deep breath, leaning against the door frame and narrowing my eyes. "We have a problem."

Now you all my be wondering why I've got a chapter of almost all fluffy stuff. Well partly on the request of a certain Butterfly I know and also because had Vash and Meryl not been out there they wouldn't have known about the creatures being there and probably would have been killed in their sleep. 

So there is a good reason for it. Mostly. I really hope you all liked it.

I have some pic I drew of Kestrel, but my dads scanner is not working right now so I'll have to wait a bit before I can post them on my Yahoo!Groups thingy 

Review Please! 

Oh yes, all of you who reviewed last chapter and had an e-mail i could use most likely got sent a pic of some tacos. I thought it was hilarious. Hehe, got any ideas of what I could send next time? 

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Reviewer Responses!

El Hustino: I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little too find out what those creatures are. But believe my their purpose is very sinister.

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Sepik: Oh yay! My first death threat!

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Saroya: Thank you for Reviewing!

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Rainy-days13: Thank you for Reviewing

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ShadowDemon+Gengar: Another has arrived!

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Rosebud: I hope you enjoyed the fluff. I wasn't too sure that I would do a good job at it.

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Desmonia: //_-\ Thank you for reviewing most of the chapters! I love it when people do that.


	15. Chapter 14: Escape

Disclaimer: All hail TRIGUN! 

Nova

Chapter 14: Escape

Vash

The beast's muscular body snaked around to examine the bed of the truck, its nostrils flaring every couple of seconds or so as it sniffed around. It's feet moved slowly, surely, seemingly going over each scent it picked up with a fine toothed comb.

"Damn," I hissed, peering out from behind the building, "you think we can distract it?"

"I highly doubt it," snorted Knives, "We'd have to use someone as bait. How about you, Meryl? You up to a little running?"

"In your dreams." Meryl grumbled from behind us.

"Stop it, Knives." I said in an annoyed tone, frowning at him, "Let's concentrate on how to get that thing away from the truck."

"I'm afraid your brother is right, Vash." Kestrel said quietly, "The only way to get that thing away from the truck is to distract it with someone. But that person has to be me, it's not after any of you."

"No, no one is going to be bait here. " I said, my frown deepening, "There's got to be another way."

I glanced back at the three women behind me, Meryl and Milly were crouched down with their night-bags clutched to their chests. Kestrel was standing, looking off down the street.

"Does anyone have any ideas? Besides using someone as bait?" I asked, shooting Knives a look.

He glanced back with a smirk. I sighed and looked back to Kestrel, "Say, your brother, Legato, he had powers. Like telekinesis. Do you have any powers like that?"

She shifted her gaze away from the street and looked me squarely in the eye. Her gold eyes stood out on her face, making them seen like they were glowing.

"No, I don't have Telekinesis. I wasn't trained in it."

"Oh," I said, "What were you trained in."

Kestrel snorted, "Nothing that can be of help I think. I was only trained in Healing and Telepathy, and of course my force shield."

"Healing?" Knives said, mostly to himself.

"It's too much to get into right now," Kestrel said, "I've already tried to use my telepathy on the beasts, but their brains don't work like ours, when I tried it just seemed like they were automatons, I couldn't pick up any thoughts, fears, or emotions, nothing. I couldn't even figure out how it could use the force shield."

I heard a rough growl, and peeked out. The first beast had been joined by a second.

"Wont be long before they are joined by the other two." Kestrel said from behind me.

"Oh, no! Look!" Milly said.

I turned and saw two more of the beasts coming up the alley. Kestrel had been right.

"Crap." I said.

"We have to get out of here." Kestrel said.

"Where?" Asked Meryl.

"Anywhere, but away from those creatures." She replied and looked back and forth between the beasts at the truck and the ones coming closer.

Suddenly I felt a tug at my hip, and turned just in time to see Knives grab my gun and step out into the streetlight.

Before I could stop him he fired twice. Hitting the two beasts near the truck squarely in their heads.

They crumpled to the ground. Knives turned to me and threw the gun to me, "Don't say anything, Vash! At least we have the truck back!"

"Yeah but now we've go the attention of the other two." Meryl said, reaching into her cape for her derringers.

"Come on!" Knives yelled, he was already halfway to the truck. I waved for Meryl, Milly and Kestrel to follow him.

I looked back and saw the other two beasts running swiftly toward us and gaining ground at a shocking pace.

I sprinted after the others. Knives jumped into the drives seat while the girls climbed into the bed of the truck.

Kestrel

Vash slid into the passenger seat at Knives started up the truck. That's when the creatures burst forth from the alleyway. One of the managed to grab onto the

tailgate of the truck as it pulled forward, ripping it off its hinges. The other latched itself to the side. It held on tight to the back of the truck and roared

at us.

I grabbed one of the suitcases in the back of the truck and swung it at the beast. It knocked the case away like one would a fly. It lunged forward and dug

its claws deep into the sheet metal gaining leverage as it moved forward.

Meryl took a shot at it with her derringer then quickly replaced it with another. 

"Damn it! I missed!" Meryl cried.

Milly dug around then pulled out a weapon with eight large cylinders on it.

She fired it and a large 'X' came shooting out, hitting the beast with enough kinetic energy to knock a hole in a wall.

The beast flew back and hit the receding sand behind us. 

The second beast still latched to the side of the truck lunged forward toward Milly, who it was closest to, and knocked the stungun out of her hands. Milly

let out a little shriek and kicked out blindly, hitting the beast on its snout.

The beast rolled back but didn't fall off. It regained its footing and was about to lunge forward again when Vash reached out of the passenger side window and

fired off a shot, hitting the beast on in the shoulder making it fly off the truck like its partner had moments ago.

"All right!" Meryl cried enthusiastically.

I laughed nervously at first, suddenly triggering both Meryl and Milly's to start laughing. The three of us were laughing so hard that I barely caught a glimpse of both Knives and Vash looking back giving us odd confused looks.

Finally after the laughter had died down I leaned back with a sigh. 

We were alive.

This time.

Unknown POV

It grinned, through the transparent encasing around it, at the view screen of the sandy planet below.

"So the little simaki has help." It said to itself. There was no one else to hear it speak. They were all asleep, lost in an almost eternal sleep that had lasted well over 2000 of the planetary rotations. Strangely it never thought to wake the others. It was content to sit quietly, contemplating its visions. 

"Run, little simaki, run while you still can. Your end is near, and you will perish along with all those you have involved in this." It sneered at the view screen and mentally ordered the view-screen to zoom in.

Yes... she will run. It thought. The hunter has become the hunted. 

It laughed as best it could, a hard grating noise that hardly be considered a laugh. 

But, it was the first time in many planetary rotations that it had something to laugh about.

Despite that, it was far from a happy or joyful laugh.

This was the laugh of someone utterly mad.

Many many many many many thankees to foo!

Man it has been raining here like Noah's flood Part two! Not to mention the fact that I think we have a new Niagara falls in our backyard. We live on a bit of a slope so all the rain comes flowing down hill. It's good thing we have a ditch around the back patio or we'd get A LOT of water damage. And you should see the street out there, people seem to think that the street is Daytona 500, so every time a car passes a gargantuan wave flies up into the air.

But what the heck, at least we aren't getting 80 mile per hour winds like Texas was!

I got the pic's of Kestrel u on my Yahoo!Groups thingy! FINALLY! Check em out now. NOW I SAY NOW!

(Please excuse previous statement, was drunk on reviews) 

****

Reviewer Responses!

Josie: Well, I don't think I really understand what you mean, but Kes is going to fall inlove with Knives one way or another.

ShadowDemon+Gengar: Nor me, thank you for reviewing!

Vashra BloodReeper: Thank you, it's great to hear it.

Lord Hustino(Who was too lazy to sign in): Yes going too far would just be... odd. Especially in a truck!

Neptune Butterfly: You very welcome! I'm happy to please.

Rosebud: Digital date with Johnny Depp? *is drooling* If only it were possible! 'Make merry in the truck?' Good god I laughed so hard hen I read that! I've never heard that term used before! I love it!

Rainy-days13: Whoosh! ^_^

Desmonia: You did write two reviews! Not that I'm complaining, I tried to send you some digital tacos Desmonia, but your e-mail provider sent it back. Sorry.

Happyjack: Oh thank you! Man a much as people are saying that I must be doing something right!

Saroya: Cute is my nickname! Oh wait you were talking about the chapter... eherm, oops. Actually my nickname is button but don't tell anyone!


	16. Chapter 15: Where

Disclaimer: BARRFFF (Oh my what an inelegant expression of my beholdenness of Trigun's prodigious standing.)

****

Nova

Chapter 15: Where...

Kestrel

We stopped about 50 iles north of Caspian, and set up camp under the ledge of a high set of cliffs. 

As Milly was getting out of the back of the truck, I noticed something.

"Milly your arm is bleeding." I said, pointing to her arm, which she was lightly cradling.

"It's not all that bad it just a scratch." Milly managed before yawning.

"Just a scratch!?" Meryl cried, taking Milly's arm and pulling up the sleeve, "Milly that's hardly a scratch,

Milly, that really bleeding badly."

"Here let me see," I said and stood shoulder to shoulder with Meryl, I put my hand over the long wound

that stretched all the way from elbow to wrist, "Yeah, that's pretty bad, Milly, infection is already

setting in."

"It must have happened when that beast knocked away Milly's stun gun," Vash observed from over my

shoulder.

"Don't worry," I said smiling at Milly, "I'll have it fixed in no time."

"Oh, that's right, you have healing powers." Meryl said quietly. 

I closed my eyes halfway and ran my hand down her forearm slowly. A soft purple light emanated from my

palm and I felt he tingling sensation of my power doing its job.

My power flowed through Milly's body, searching out stem cells to patch her arm, as it was doing this I

felt something more. A light presence in the vicinity of Milly's stomach. 

Milly was pregnant. I wondered if she was aware of it. 

Wait a second, there wasn't just one presence there, there were two. She had twins.

I stepped back after I finished healing her arm and smiled at Milly.

"Oh, thank you Miss Kestrel," Milly smiled back. 

"It's no problem, um, Milly did you know you were pregnant?" 

Her eyes widened a little and she asked in a small voice, "I am?"

I nodded, "With twins. I sense a boy and a girl." 

The look of surprise abruptly left her face, and was replaced by a deep sorrow, "Nicolas." 

"Wow," Vash said softly, "just... wow."

"Oh, Milly, congratulations." Meryl added brightly.

She smiled sadly, "Oh, thank you, I just wish that Nicolas could be here."

I didn't know who this Nicolas person was, but he was obviously someone important to Milly, and

apparently she knew that he was the father. 

I backed up further and settled my self next to the fire that Vash and Knives had started.

I looked up when I felt the stare of someone. It was Knives. I gave him a small smile and looked away, but

I could still feel him watching me.

What was it with that man? Maybe it has something to do with Legato. It was strange to me, the way they

reacted to my name, as if just the word Bluesummers was some sort of curse. What had Legato done to make them react like that?

Vash, Meryl and Milly all seemed to accept me well enough now, but Knives... he was always analyzing me, staring, and studying me. There were so many unanswered questions floating through my mind. 

Not to mention the fact that for some reason the beast had attacked Milly, it went against everything

that I had observed about them. Usually they ignore everyone and everything and just head straight for me, but this time was different, and left me curious.

It's because they're helping you, a small voice at the back of my head said, they're involved.

They weren't safe now, and I couldn't use my force shield around those beasts or another of those

explosions would happen. I couldn't do anything. I was virtually powerless against them.

I sighed, shutting my eyes. The most prominent question in my mind was why. Why was I being attacked? I never did anything wrong in my life...

That I know of.

I sighed, reached into my cape for my wallet, and pulled out the photo of myself, my sister and our father.

Had Aria not been walking with me that day the I was first attacked, then the very same thing would have

happened to Lanoth that happened to January. 

Aria had used her Telekinetic powers to drive the beasts back. Giving me time to get away. Those beasts

had fought and fought to get to me, almost killing my sister and five others. Marian, the leader of Lanoth,

finally arrived and forced the beasts into a state of unconsciousness by ways of a mental procedure that when induced upon someone could send them into a coma like state, except it was a little more controlled. 

Right now they were studying those beasts, and from what they told me, their origin was not of this world, their bio-mechanics were even a little flawed, leading the Lanothian scientists to think that these creatures

were in fact... artificially created. 

Vash

We all just sat there around the fire. Dawn was only a couple of hours away, and no one seemed to want to

sleep. I found myself dozing off occasionally, but Knives kept kicking my shin to stop me from snoring.

No one spoke, either. Milly stared off into the desert, fingering a little silver cross cufflink which used to

belong to Wolfwood. Knives was idly sketching on a piece of paper he'd found somewhere. Meryl was

cleaning her derringers and Kestrel was staring distantly into the fire.

Wanting to get the stale air moving I directed a question at Kestrel. She didn't seem to hear me so I

tried again, "Kestrel?"

She looked up, "Yes?"

"I was just wondering if you could tell us a little about your people."

She blinked, then nodded, smiling, "Sure. What do you want to know?"

"What's with the..." I waved a hand in front of my face to indicate the blue hair and gold eyes.

She looked confused for a second then smiled again, realizing what I was asking, "Oh, you mean the hair

and the eyes."

I nodded, the other three looked at Kestrel, unveiled curiosity in their eyes.

"Well you see... We weren't actually born. In the conventional sense, I mean. We were created,"

"Created?" I asked. 

"Yes, the blue hair and gold eyes were to make us easily identifiable. They had over 500 of us in

incubation pods at some facility in July."

"Now wait just a minute... when was this? It must have been before is destruction, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "It happened about seventy--seventy-five years ago."

"Anyway, something went wrong with the project. It's still not clear as to why the project was scrapped,

but just out of the blue the people in charge ordered all equipment and research destroyed. They were going

to incinerate the incubation pods that held the first generation of my people, but one of the scientists

there, a woman by the name of Marian Hawkins... she saved us. She brought the incubation pods back to

Lanoth and along with her brothers and sisters, they raised the first generation. We owe her our lives. In

fact she still governs Lanoth, keeping the peace and so on."

"That's amazing that she's still alive."

Kestrel laughed, "Not at all! She's a plant!"

Knives

__

She's a plant. A plant. 

Those words reverberated in my head. I stared at the gold-eyed human, who was glancing between Vash and the other two humans and myself.

She suddenly looked confused, "What? What's the matter?"

"How did she get out of her bulb?" I asked her. 

She focused on me and blinked, "Well that's.... You know when you pass by a plant in one of the towns, and there's a few of the bulbs broken open? Well whatever do you think happened to the plants that used to be inside them?"

I looked at Vash, not really knowing how to answer that, he merely shrugged.

"You see after the Fall, they were confused and couldn't support themselves in the chaos the ensued

afterward, so a few of the humans that did know about the real state of the plants went around and gathered

the suddenly free plants after the Fall." 

"What do you mean by 'real state?'" Vash asked. 

"The majority of the human population was not told what the plants truly were. If they had been told

there was the undisputed chance of a civil war. Most won't stand for even the thought of slavery."

I snorted, "A civil war? Over the plants? You humans are so selfish that you wouldn't have given it a

second thought." 

She gave me a half lidded stare, "I'm sorry that you think that way. But it's very true."

"Can we go visit?" asked Vash.

She looked to the side, "I can't. I can't risk it. Not until I can figure out a way to stop these attacks on

myself."

"We don't need her permission." I stated.

She glanced back to me, "No. You don't. But you will never find it with out my help. Besides those beasts

and whoever is sending them is after you all now too. 

I frowned at her, but she didn't change her tone.

"We can't risk it."

I would have written some reviewer responses but I'm a little to lazy right now and didn't want to keep you waiting. 

But thanks to those who did review, listed below.

****

Saroya

Desmonia

Neptune Butterfly

Chibi Chibi 

Rosebud 

El Hustino


	17. Chapter 16: Confontation

Discalimer: I don ownie the Trigunnie.

Legacy, Kestrel's cousin belongs to aforementioned LegacyRBluesummers I did borrow her. J 

****

Nova

Chapter 16: Confrontation.

Four Days Later

Knives

"Eehh, the damn distributor cap is shot." Vash was saying, "It's the end of this poor truck."

Vash had the hood of the truck up and was glaring down into the engine with a bit of a pout in his lip, "Why me?" he asked to no one in particular.

"You're Vash the Stampede."

Vash snorted, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, bro."

I smirked for a moment, then...

"Vash."

He glanced up at me, "What?"

"I want my gun back."

"Huh?"

"You heard me Vash, don't play dumb. I want my gun back. I want to be able to protect myself. We could have taken care of that situation four days ago easily if you would have just shot those creatures."

He kept staring at the engine, an expressionless look on his face, I saw his eyes shift to the three human women sitting in the shade of a nearby cliff. Of course he's worried about them. Why should I expect any less.

"I can't. I can't Knives. I can't allow you the possibility of hurting people."

"You don't trust me." 

He sighed, and glanced at me, "I don't know."

"Dammit, Vash, if there's only you and those two humans with guns then all of us, including your human friends will die."

Vash slammed his fist down on the engine, "I know. I know."

"Please Vash, trust me. I won't hurt them."

Vash sighed again, "Alright."

"Where is it?" 

Vash went around the side of the truck and reached under the wheel well, pulling out my gun.

"You taped it under the wheel well?" 

"Well, tied actually."

I snorted, "Jeez Vash, all I had to do was look for it. That's an incredibly obvious place."

Vash smiled, "I know. But I'm warning you, Knives. You so much as threaten one of the girls with that gun and I will bury it where you will never find it."

I nodded and tucked the gun into my belt.

Kestrel

We were walking now, through a small canyon about twenty feet wide. Vash was having a very involved conversation with Meryl and Milly, I followed not far

behind them, and Knives followed even further behind us.

I glanced back at him for a moment. He stared at the ground, expressionless, occasionally glancing up at the rest of us. On one of these occasions I caught his eyes for a moment, and gave him a smile. His expression didn't change, he just stared at me, his icy blue eyes suddenly giving me shivers. I looked away.

What in the world could make a man so cold? 

I slowed my trek and fell back alongside Knives.

"I was wondering if I might be able to ask you something?"

An almost inaudible grunt was my only answer. I took it as a yes and continued. 

"I asked Meryl, and Milly but Meryl said I should ask either you or Vash, the thing is I wanted to know how Legato died."

All that I got from him was a slow blink and a slight narrowing of his eyes.

Then... "He was shot."

"Oh?"

"Your brother was on the verge of killing those two women. Vash had a choice, let him live and the two human die, or kill him to save them."

I looked down at my boots, "Oh, God, I had no idea that he..." I sighed, frowning, "My brother was a murderer. Jeez."

I felt a lump in my throat, "Why was he like that?"

"You humans are inherently corrupt, that's why. I'll never understand you. But it doesn't matter, Legato was happy to go."

"What, how do you know?" I breathed.

"I ordered him make Vash suffer. And that was the best way to do so."

"Make him kill someone?" I asked incredulously.

Knives smiled.

What was going on here? Why was this man so... 

He ordered my brother to get himself killed by Vash's hand. I sped up and left Knives behind with out a word.

But I head him chuckle, as I left his side. 

Why did he hate us so much?

And how in God's name did my brother come to work for

Knives? 

None of this made any sense. The hate Knives seemed to have towards humans was unreal, I was under the impression that all Plants were inherently good

natured. But Knives' attitude...

I glanced back at him, he had a small smile on his lips, a pleased look on his face.

"I hope you can forgive me." Vash's voice said from beside me.

I shifted my gaze towards Vash who was walking besides me now, and gave him a smile, "For what?"

"For your brother. I didn't want to... kill him. I... I had no... I mean... I couldn't let Meryl and Milly die. I'm very sorry." He looked very sad about it, the hurt that had unexpectedly clenched my heart, deepened.

"It's okay. I guess. I went through most of my life believing he was dead. This changes nothing. Though, I can't say the same for my sister."

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"My sister was always saying she believed Legato alive, some sort of twin thing or something. She never gave up hope that one day he would return to us. 

After a year, my father gave up, and so did I, but she... she would look up at the moons and say, 'He's out there, Kes', he's out there.'"

I felt a hot tear roll down my cheek, "I have no idea how she'll react to this. Hell, she may already know."

Vash laughed a little nervously, "She has powers like Legato's, right?"

"Telekinesis? Yes."

"Oh, man, I hope she'll forgive me."

I laughed, "Don't worry. She does have a bonfire temper, but she can keep her powers in check."

"Oh, good. Say, does every one in your valley have powers?"

"Uh, yes, they do."

"Like what?"

"Oh, jeez, there are so many. My father has a really neat power, he can manipulate the weather."

Vash's eye's widened, "Wow."

"And my cousin Legacy has telekinesis, like Legato and Aria. If we ever go to Lanoth, try not to get on her nerves, she can throw one nasty punch, even without her powers."

Vash's eye's widened even more, "Cool."

I laughed, "Heh, you --"

I was suddenly cut off by a shout from Knives, "Vash look!"

Everyone looked where Knives was pointing to see a humongous fire ball plummeting towards us.

It slammed into the ground, shaking the very earth beneath our feet. 

I'd fallen with the impact, so once I regained my footing I got a good look at what had fallen before us.

A pod.

It creaked as it slowly cooled.

"What is it?" Asked Vash.

"I don't know," I said, "It's too small to hold those creatures."

Vash stepped a little closer and was about to touch the pod when steam hissed out of its crevasses. Vash jumped back as the pod split into four pieces like a

metallic flower blooming in spring.

The only thing in side was a series of tubular mechanisms. These tubes shifted positions on the base of the split pod. The tube in the center rose above 

the others and then all of them began to glow. 

Suddenly an image appeared above it. A hologram.

The thing looked exactly like the creature that had been chasing us, except that it was less muscular.

So little simaki, have you been enjoying my pets?

The voice was not really audible. But somehow said telepathically.

"A-- are you speaking to me?"

Who else would I be speaking to? You are Kestrel Milana Bluesummers, yes?

"Yes..."

Then I am speaking to the right person. it laughed, You haven't answered my question.

I felt all reason leave me at that instant, replaced by an incredibly incredulous feeling, "Have I been enjoying your pets?! You're the one who has been sending those things after me? Excuse me?! Your PETS have been driving my insane! I can't go home because of them, millions of people are dead because of them!"

No, little simaki, they are not the cause of their deaths. You are. Had you just consigned to your death then none of those 'people' would have died. Yet.

I felt a cold shock course through my body, "Who are you! Why are you hunting me?! What have I done to you?"

It chuckled. at least I think that's what it was. It is nothing that you have done yet, simaki. But you will do it someday. And I intend to destroy you before

that day ever comes along with rest of your pathetic planet.

The hologram suddenly died and I saw eight more fireballs heading our way. I knew instantly that these were not message pods.

I looked to Vash, "We have to run. Now."

"This way!" He cried. and all five of us ran after him.

I heard the impacts behind us but dared not look back.

All of a sudden the canyon path dead ended.

"Oh, shit!" Vash yelled.

I looked around frantically.

"There!" I cried pointing to a narrow opening in the rocks. A small cave.

A loud roar behind us left us no hesitation as we pushed through the opening. I pressed myself up against the wall of the cramped cave, literally squeezed between Milly and Knives, and suddenly the creature was outside the cave.

Luckily the creature was too big to fit through. It thrust it's claw inside the opening and swiped blindly, raking the air. 

The claw receded for a moment then thrust back in a little deeper this time. A second joined the first and they began to claw at the rocks around the entrance,

trying to widen it and succeeding. 

One thrust its head through, surprising Vash, who jumped backward into Knives. Now I could see all six of the creatures outside ramming themselves into the side of the cliff, making the small enclosure shake and crumble. 

"Can we go back and further!?" Vash yelled to the back where Meryl was.

"No!" Meryl cried forward, "Wait-Oh shi--!" Meryl's voice cut off and them suddenly Milly was no longer beside me. I looked down just in time to see the very earth beneath me breaking apart.

I let out a shriek, and then suddenly I was no longer on solid ground. For an instant I was weightless in a free fall, and then almost immediately I was immersed in water. Bubbles slowly rose up around me, and the liquid illuminated in an eerie blue glow.

I choked out all my air and frantialcly kicked upward, breaking the surface

of the water with a gasp.

I was in some sort of cavern with a very large underground lake. The ceiling of the cavern glowed. 

I looked around for my companions and saw them scrambling onto a small rocky beach.

I swan over and crawled up onto the beach/ When I glanced up, I noticed someone was missing. 

"Where's Knives?" I breathed. Vash looked up, then back at the lake and gasped.

Thinking back now, I don't really remember thinking at all, all I can remember was tearing off my cape and kicking off my boots and diving back into the water.

I thrust my self downward, squinting through the murky water. I saw his hand through the darkness, and kicked downward until it was in reach. I grabbed his limp hand. He floated there his mouth slightly open and his eyes closed. I got around behind him and hook my arms under his, kicking upwards, my lungs were

beginning to burn from the strain. I kicked harder, slowly bring his weight towards the surface, and then I saw Vash swimming down.

Together, we pulled him from the water, dragging him up to the beach. I fell to my knees beside him and placed my hands over his chest, "He's not breathing!"

I began performing CPR. 

__

Breathe, dammit, breathe! I cried out in my head.

Vash took over the compressions and I continued to breathe into his mouth. I thrust ever living ounce of my healing power into Knives, but even so...

I was losing him.

I never lost anyone I had healed, and I didn't want him to be the first.

"Breathe!" I cried out loud.

As if on cue he gasped and then choked out some water, he turned over onto his side and breathed in and out in quick but deep breaths.

I stared at his shaking body, and the corners of my lips turned up as I too slumped to my side. I felt my body go limp, and a small gasp escaped my throat just before darkness took me.

Ooog, Thankee to foo as always. Oh my I am SO sorry for the wait. I was viciously attacked by a case of 'writers block'. Evil thing it was too.

But over the course of it all I managed to write this thing in a paragraph at a time. And it has somehow resulted in my longest chapter ever. Weee!

I hope it was worth the wait.

I have also written a little back story on Lanoth Valley. It's in my Yahoo!Groups thingy. You can fiand a link in my Profile. And of course there are the pictures of Kes. Funny non of yuo have commented on them yet... *Unveiled hint*

****

Saroya: Yes Knives does rock does he not?

LegacyRBluesummers: Piccies are drawn. :) 

Rainy-days13: Thas OK, and yes i was overjoyed at your reviewing the previous one. J 

Desmonia: Here's your update! I hope it get to you soon enough.

Neptune Butterfly: HoYAH Spring Break!

El Hustino: I really don't know how long it's going to be, more and more things keep popping up in my head to add to it. We shell see.

Sepik: I'm so glad!

Rosebud : Oh my! A genius? You don't know how happy that make me feel to hear you say that. Oh amn and I am so sorry for this update being so belated. 

Vashsp: ^_^


	18. Chapter 17: The Tunnels

Nova

Chapter 17: The Tunnels.

Meryl

It had been three hours since Knives had nearly drowned, and neither Kestrel nor Knives had yet to wake. 

Milly had fallen asleep against the side of the cavern, and Vash was exploring our new surroundings.

I could still see the hole where we had fallen through, but those creatures were nowhere to be seen. What little light that had been coming through the hole was

virtually gone now, making the odd blue glow on the ceiling shine even brighter. 

The glow itself was like nothing I'd ever seen before, but the ceiling of the cavern was too high to get a good look at what exactly caused it. Before Vash had left to explore he said he'd look for some closer to the ground. 

I pushed myself up from my seating position and went to check on Knives and Kestrel. We'd laid them out on either side of our makeshift camp, because when

Knives wakes he probably won't like the idea of having received mouth-to-mouth by a human.

I checked their pulses, both were beating with stable intervals.

I pulled the blanket back up to Knives' chin, for some reason he was fidgeting in his sleep a lot, as if he was having a nightmare.

I shook my head sadly and backed away to make sure Kestrel's blankets were still right.

"Are they OK?" Milly's voice drifted over form behind me.

I turned, and smiled, "Yes. I just hope that they wake soon. There's no telling when those beasts will appear again."

Milly nodded, stood and stretched, "Ooh! I could really go for some pudding right now!"

I laughed, "Jeez Milly." 

She laughed.

Vash

I heard the girls laughter as I came back from a virtually fruitless search. 

I could find nothing that would indicate a way out. There were various twisting tunnels that seemed to go on for miles. I'd found more caverns of varying size

and even a small river as out of place as the underground lake. 

But I did find out what that odd glow on the cavern walls was. Some sort of luminescent moss. Probably had a luciferin*-like substance in its composition.

(AN: *luciferin is the substance in a firefly's abdomen that makes it glow.)

"Find anything?" asked Meryl as I settled myself next to her. 

"No exit. This place is huge. I found a bunch of tunnels and more caverns. This network of tunnels and

caves goes on for miles I think."

"I wonder what created them." Milly said rolling her gaze across the ceiling. 

I pulled my hair out of my ponytails and ran my fingers through it, "I think sandworms. I found a couple of sandworm skeletons in another cave."

"Sandworms? They also go to the surface, so there must be an exit somewhere." Meryl said hopefully.

I nodded, "Yeah, somewhere."

Meryl sighed, "Oh man, what are we going to do? We barely have enough rations to last us a week."

I shook my head, "We'll figure something out."

Meryl leaned her head on my shoulder, "I can only hope, Vash, I can only hope."

Kestrel

God.

I felt like my head was in a vice.

Blood pounded in my ears, my heart thumping in my chest, and my muscles screamed in painful protest as I strained to sit up.

"Oh! Miss Kestrel! You're awake!"

"With as much pain as I'm feeling right now, I would hope so." I muttered through clenched teeth. I could barely open my eyes. I found that even the small amount of light there was in the cavern was too much for me.

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. Private joke. Damn where's some aspirin when you need it?"

"Oh, sorry I don't have any." Milly said sadly.

"That's OK, the pain lets me know I'm still alive."

"Oh. Ok." She said in a very confused tone.

I felt the cool edge of a cup pressed against my lips, "Here have some water." said Milly.

I slid my fingers around the cup and took a sip. It was like heaven. I had no idea what overusing my powers would do to me, the Master Healer in Lanoth had heavily warned against it. He's said that it had unforeseeable effects, anything could happen, from just being drained of power for awhile to dying.

I didn't know what in the hell I was thinking when I healed Knives, nothing probably.

I hoped he was all right.

"How's Knives?" I asked her.

"Still unconscious."

"Oh. How long have I been out?"

"Close to four hours."

I winced then laughed, and tried to open my eyes again. I blinked rapidly and let my eyes adjust to the dim light.

Looking around I noticed Meryl and Vash gone, "Where're Meryl and Vash?"

"Mr. Vash and Meryl are exploring the caves."

I peered around, getting a better look at the structure of the caves, "Hmm, sandworm tunnels."

She looked surprised, "You know what they are?"

I nodded, "We have 'em back home, my sister and I used to explore them all the time when we were kids."

Milly smiled, "Oh how fun."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Ten brothers and sisters!" She smiled even more brightly.

I laughed, "Oh, wow. Talk about contributing to the population."

"You want help standing up?" she giggled out.

"Yes please."

Milly helped me stand and worked my sore muscles, hissing through my teeth as pain shot up my limbs, "Yikes."

Knives

*Dream*

Everlasting dark.

I don't know how long I floated there in complete darkness. Maybe I was there only for a minute. Maybe for a year. A hundred years. Time ceased to exist. 

I ceased exist.

I merely floated there like an entity. Unaware of anything or anyone. No. No, I could feel _them_. I could sense their eyes watching me. They waited in the dark.

Ready to devour my soul. 

I could feel their nails reaching out grabbing at my immobile limbs.

I tried to shake them off, but it was useless. 

I was fighting a losing battle. 

The invisible demons swirled around me, threatening to tear me apart. Threatening to reduce me to nothing more than a lost soul amongst all the others.

Then...

A glow pierced the darkness like a divine blade, shunning the dark with it's light.

The demonic nails receded and they hissed in fear. _She _stepped through the light and reached out her hand for me to take. The searing light silhouetted her face,

and I squinted trying to see who she was. 

I grasped her hand and she pulled me into the light. The light brightened and she disappeared, but her presence surrounded me, soothing my mental wounds.

Bringing my mind closer to consciousness.

*End Dream*

Kestrel 

I was sitting cross-legged, watching Knives' fitful sleep. It was sad to see him struggle like that. I touched his brow and tried to use what little power

I'd gained back to ease his mind. He let out a soft sigh and seemed to calm down. 

"Better be careful," Meryl said, she and Vash had returned not fifteen minutes ago.

I looked at her, "Why?"

"He wakes up and he might just attack you."

I placed my hand into my lap and scooted back.

Suddenly his eyes shot open and he locked gazes with me. At first he seemed not to recognize me, but almost immediately afterwards, his eyes narrowed and he looked away.

"Hey Knives!" Vash cried happily, "How do you feel?"

"Like crap," he muttered.

"What was that?" Vash asked.

"Nothing."

Vash helped Knives to his feet, and gave him some water. It was basically the same procedure that happened with me.

"What happened? Last thing I remember I was underwater." Knives asked, squinting out at the lake.

Vash flinched and shot me a look, "Uh, Knives you... you nearly drowned."

He blinked, "Drowned?"

Vash nodded then said quietly, "Kes' saved you."

Knives looked confused for a moment, but when it seemed to finally sink in, his eyes widened, "How."

"CPR" Vash said even quieter.

Knives choked, then suddenly looked enraged, "What!?"

He violently whipped his head towards me and glared.

I gave him a small, rather confused, smile and waved my fingers at him in a hesitant greeting.

"I cannot believe that you would even dare to touch me in that way, you filth!" Knives yelled with a look of disgust on his face, "If it weren't for Vash I'd kill you!"

I stood my ground, my confusion and hesitancy thrown to the wind, and tried to give him a stubborn frown, "Would you rather I did nothing and let you die? From

what I see that would have only solidified the idea that we are selfish beasts, wouldn't it? Proving that all along you were right."

Knives squared his shoulders and looked like he was about to lunge.

"Well guess what? I saved your life. Live with it!" I continued.

"You human's only save the lives of others for your own personal gain!"

"I don't want anything in return! And had I known that what I would get from saving your life would be your undying arrogant attitude, I would have left you to drown!"

I turned to leave, then as an afterthought, turned back, "On second thought... I wouldn't have let you drown. You want to know why? No? Well I'll you anyway.

Because had I let you drown I would be no better than you, you selfish ego-maniacal bastard!"

I spun around and stormed down one of the tunnels, "You're welcome!"

Knives

Stupid human.

"You know Knives, you really should be grateful to her."

"And why is that?" I muttered.

"I think that even if I had gotten to you first, I wouldn't have been able to save you, not without her help anyway."

I looked at him curiously, "What do you mean?"

"You were too far gone by the time we got you to shore, she was using her powers as well as CPR to save you."

Her powers? "How do you know?"

"For some reason I could sense it. The amount of energy that she put into it was... incredible. I could sense most of it going to your heart and to your

brain. She had to keep the oxygen going to your brain and the blood flowing through your heart, she used the CPR to give you oxygen. So really I don't see why you can't at lest thank her."

"Never."

Vash shrugged and sighed, "I'm just saying--"

"Well don't. I don't want to hear it." 

Vash

I suppose it was the next morning. The light from the hole in the ceiling was at a different angle now. Opposite that of when we had fallen in here. 

We, meaning Meryl, Milly, Kestrel and I, decided that we should try and find an exit. Knives stayed out of the conversation entirely, choosing instead to sulk, shooting Kestrel death glares while cleaning his water logged gun.

Kestrel had chosen to just ignore him, acting as if he didn't exist.

It was actually kinda cute in a way. I laughed to myself and watched the two. In fact now that I was watching then I noticed her shooting Knives glances when

he wasn't looking.

But unlike Knives' looks, which were filled with disgust and hate, hers were of curiosity and confusion. And I could see in her eyes... a need... to understand.

I grinned evilly to myself, a wicked thought rolling around in my brain.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Meryl, smiling.

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all."

Meryl raised her eyebrows, "Sure. Ready to go?"

I grabbed my bag at my feet and hiked it over my shoulder, "Yep."

The five of us, Meryl, Milly and myself, strategically placed ourselves between Kestrel and Knives.

The walk was rather uneventful, we'd basically been walking around blindly from one tunnel to the next, not really picking any specific path. 

The blue moss was gently illuminating our path as we walked.

Conversation was close to nil. Everyone seemed wary of it, because any sound we made echoed through the vast caverns. Sometime I could hear water dripping from a distance, small screeches from sand rats, rocks falling from the tops of the caverns, and wind blowing from some yet unknown exit.

Suddenly a animalistic roar blasted its way towards us from the dank recesses of the cavern.

I stopped in my tracks and held up my hand to keep everyone quiet.

A second roar reached us, closer this time. 

"Shit, lets get out of here!" I said and pulled at Meryl's hand, dragging her after me down another tunnel. The others had no choice but to follow.

Somehow we ended up in a cavern about four times the size of the one where that underground lake had been.

"Whoa." Kestrel said from behind me.

"It's huge." Milly said in awe.

Not only was it huge, but it had a plethora of glowing moss all over the ceiling and walls settled in a striking array of color.

I looked back at Knives and saw that he'd completely forgotten to keep up his whole 'I'm a bad ass, fear me' act and looked completely floored. Not to mention

that he'd somehow cone to stand right next to Kestrel.

I grinned and squeezed Meryl's hand affectionately.

A roar broke off our reverie and we all turned to see eight of those beasts coming towards us.

Everyone reached for their respected guns, Meryl's derringers, Milly's stungun and Knives and I got out our colts. 

Kestrel, having no weapon, could only back up and find a hiding place behind a large rock. 

No one said anything as we all spread out.

One of the beasts lunged forward and reacted I quickly by shooting both its thighs. The other seven took that as their cue and moved forward like crazed demons of hell.

From that point on it was pure pandemonium. These things were seriously tenacious. The one I shot in the thighs somehow managed to get back to his feet and attack again. 

It was like these things had no sense of self preservation. They were literally fighting to the death.

Knives of course was happy to oblige them, outright shooting them in their heads. I knew nothing I said right would change his mind, so I said nothing and let him work how he pleased.

There were only two left when another group of them joined the last two but this time I counted close to thirty. 

"I'm out of bullets!" Knives yelled from his cover behind a tall stalagmite.

"So am I." I said.

I glanced at Meryl and Milly who had long run out of ammo. Damn. What now?

Suddenly an array of bullets fired from out of nowhere and all the remaining beasts fell to the ground. 

I turned slowly toward the area where the bullet had come from and saw a figure silhouetted in a shadow cast by the glowing moss.

"Well, well, well, I'm dead for a couple of months and look at what trouble you've gotten yourself into."

I choked, instantly recognizing the voice, "Wolfwood?"

Many thakees to Foo, she can work through all my writing 'stakes!

I hope you all liked this. You know I've been planning the sentence by Wolfwood almost since I began writing this? Crikey.

****

Reviewer Responses

****

Saroya: Yes, writers blocks are evil. Very evil. Kill all writers blocks! 

Neptune Butterfly: Working VERY hard I am. Oh darn, you all got spring break, huh? PFt, I didn't. : ( Me be homeschooled. Oh well.

Lord Hustino: I hope that Knives' reaction was interesting, I have a feeling it was a little too quick. But hell, I'm still recovering from the evil Writers Block.

Rosebud: Intense is good. Yes Knives and Kestrel will make a cute couple. But first I have to figure out how to practically get them together. I'll go study soem KnivesOC fics and see how they do it, and try to make my own twist. And all your comments make me happy. 

Writers Block barbecue

First you take Vash and Knives' guns and shoot it. Then you get Inuyasha's sword and chop it into a million pieces. 

Then you get Ranma to use his Shi Shi Hokkodan on it. Then you get Vash and Knives to use their angel arms on it. 

Lastly flay over and open fire for 20 minutes and add barbecue sauce. 

Serve immediately.

Yield: 20 servings.

.


	19. Chapter 18: Back

****

Nova

Chapter 18: Back

Wolfwood

"You are being given a second chance." She said.

__

She was what you might call an angel. Even as long as I had been here I still had yet to really figure out who and what She really was. I guess you might call her God's spokesperson. She was the only 'angel', the other souls, and I, had ever met.

"What? Why? What brought this up?" I asked Her.

"Just know that you are a good man, Nicholas, and there are those that will need you, in time. Your place is not here. Not yet."

"But why? What use can I possibly be?"

"All will become clear in time my son."

"In time... sure. So, what now?"

"We send you back."

There was a blinding flash and I suddenly found myself in a wide tunnel.

"Where--?" I looked down at myself and saw I wore the same clothes that I'd had on when I had died. My cross punisher was laying on the ground next to my feet. 

__

Now, go with peace in your soul, my son. She said.

"Wait! What do I do now? Where the hell am I?"

__

Follow your heart, and you will know.

Oh wonderful. Riddles. I just _love_ riddles.

I looked around at the dank tunnel walls and snorted, "The beginning of my second life, sucks!"

I hiked my cross up onto my shoulder and patted my shirt pocket, "At least She was considerate enough to give me some cigarettes." I took out one of the smokes, stuck it onto the corner of my mouth and patted my other pockets for a lighter of matches.

Nothing.

"Crap!" I shook my fist at the ceiling, "That's just cruel!"

At some point while I had been yelling at the ceiling, somewhere shooting had started.

Stopping my rant, I listened for a moment, and cursed.

"No rest for the dead man today, I guess." I said and took off at a run. 

Trying to find the source of the shooting was probably the most irritating thing in the world, with the way these damnedable tunnels echoed, it was a preverbal wild goose chase.

I nearly passed a wide opening, if it weren't, of course, for the large metal 'X' that came flying through it and nearly plastered me to the wall.

I skidded to a halt and peered through the opening.

Vash and ... Knives. I blinked and quickly scanned the rest of the room, the girls and a young woman who I didn't recognize were also there. They were fighting what looked like very large lizards.

I shook my head and wondered if She put me into an some sort of alternate reality.

.... Naahh... couldn't be. 

I heard Knives yell that he was out of bullets, and Vash yelled back that he was too.

I took that as my cue and pulled a couple of my black pistols, hoping that She remembered to put bullets

in them.

I fired off, emptying both rounds into the lizards, and all was quiet for a moment. I put on my best lopsided grin and said, "Well, well, well, I'm dead for a couple of months and look at what trouble you've gotten yourself into."

Vash turned slowly, his face had gone pale, "Wolfwood?"

"Hey Vash. Say... you got any matches?"

Vash

I stared at him in shock for god knows how long, 

Wolfwood turned and put his pistols back into his cross punisher. He looked just the same as when I had last seen him, minus the bullet wounds and the blood. He looked at each of us in turn, assessing our reactions. 

I cast a brief look at Knives, who was standing right next to me, and he looked very annoyed, and I also saw a hint of suspicion.

What is it? I asked him. Knives crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Wolfwood.

A trick. It has to be a trick. There's no way he could have come back. He's supposed to be dead.

As much as I wanted to believe that Wolfwood was alive, Knives was right. There was no way. Not unless by some divine power.

Milly stepped forward hesitantly. It was clear she wanted to rush to him, "Milly wait." I said under my breath.

She regarded me for a moment before stepping back to stand next to Meryl.

Wolfwood, or who ever he was, walked forward to stand right in front of Knives and me, "I know this must be a bit of a shock."

"How do we know this isn't some sort of trick? One of that thing's holograms?" Knives asked of Wolfwood.

My hand shout out and I pinched Wolfwood's arm. 

__

"Youch!"

"Feels pretty real to me." I said lightly.

"Did you have to pinch so HARD!?" Wolfwood growled.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that."

"Yeah, right."

I looked at Knives, He's alive bro, I don't know how but he's alive.

Still...

"Nicholas!" Milly rushed forward and nearly tackled Wolfwood.

"Hey big girl," Wolfwood said with a gasp.

"You came back. How?" Meryl asked.

Wolfwood look contemplative for a moment, "Long story. Don't think I understand half of it myself."

"I can't really explain where I was. Heaven maybe. Possibly a spirit world. There were others there the souls of people who have died. She came to me and said that I am being given a second chance." 

Wolfwood settled himself down next to Milly, who, along with the rest of us, was sitting around a small propane lamp.

Except of course, Knives, who decided to take a walk, and was now a little ways down to the other side of the cavern.

"She?"

"An angel I think. Again, I not very sure. And She said there was a reason for my returning. _And_ that it would become clear to me in time. Whatever."

"Well its good to have you back." I said, "Oh! I don't think you've been introduced to Kestrel yet." 

I pointed to Kestrel who was sitting between Meryl and Milly, "This is Kestrel Bluesummers."

Wolfwood narrowed his eyes, "Bluesummers? As in _Legato_ Bluesummers?"

"Legato was my brother." Kestrel said.

Wolfwood blinked, "Ah, I see. "

"Don't worry," I said, "She's nothing like Legato."

"Good." Wolfwood laughed, "So tell me what's happened to you all, in these past couple of months. And what in gods name are those lizard things?"

Knives

How? How was it possible for that damn human to be back? 

I kicked at a rock, and it went flying off into the distance. I looked back at the humans and my brother.

Vash and the human Wolfwood were laughing.

The human females, Meryl and Milly were grinning.

As for Kestrel... Wait. When did I start thinking of her as just Kestrel, and not as the human Kestrel?

Damn that woman, she just had to heal me. Vash could have managed just fine, no matter what he says.

I looked back to Kestrel. She looked uncomfortable. 

Strange... if it wasn't for her appearance I wouldn't have though she could be related to Legato. 

Legato was cold and emotionless. Kestrel had this quiet warmth around her. Something that spoke of peace and compassion.

The differences were... surprising.

Legato had been fearless. Kestrel sometimes seemed on the verge of being timid, but only sometimes. This morning when she had yelled at me, that fearlessness that Legato had been known for had shown through.

She knew what I was capable of. She had to. And yet she treated me like any other human she might be angry at.

What would you rather I treat you like? A naughty Thomas? Kestrel's telepathic voice asked.

You dare read my thoughts! I threw up every mental barrier I could before she could hear more.

I wasn't. You were projecting. Sorry, didn't know it was such a high crime.

Damn it. _Damn you._

She let out a mental snort and I felt her telepathic presence recede.

HELLO!

Late late late late!

So sorry

I got my first piece of Fanart! It's on my Yahoo!Groups thingy if you want to see it.

It's also here

http :// www. geocities. com/ arborwinter/ Fanart. Html

Its by Purple Otter.

Thank you Purple otter.

And of course much thakees To those that reviewed last chapter(I is to lazy to respond, sorry.)

****

SuperNova 

Rainy-days13 

A purple otter

Neptune Butterfly 

Desmonia 

Rosebud 

Sepik

Lord Hustino 

Saroya


	20. Chapter 19: Walking and Talking

Nova  
  
Chapter 19: Walking and talking  
  
Meryl  
  
It wasn't much later that we left the luminous cavern.   
  
Vash and Knives made up the front of our little parade, Wolfwood and Milly the back. They were walking arm in arm, speaking softly to one another. Kestrel and I were left in the middle.  
  
I really didn't like the echoing quiet around us, except for Milly and Wolfwood's subtle whispers the only sound was of our feet scraping and trudging through the tunnels.   
  
"Oh, what I would do to see the sun." I muttered.  
  
"Yeah, I know," Kestrel said back, "This dark is really starting to get to me."  
  
"Hopefully we can get out of here soon."  
  
"Back home, in Lanoth, someone go the bright idea to try and map the sandworm tunnels. He only got about a eighty ile circumference before finally giving up."  
  
"Eighty iles?"  
  
"Yep, no doubt they went even further."  
  
"Wow... What is Lanoth like?"  
  
"Oh it's beautiful. You can really tell the change in seasons there better than you can on the rest of Gunsmoke. In autumn when all the leaves begin to change it's like being transported to another world. Everything and everyone seemed to relax in the fall. I don't know why. Maybe its because of the Great Fall Celebration."  
  
"The Great Fall Celebration?"  
  
"Yeah, kinda funny that it's in the fall," she laughed, "you see in Lanoth, we don't see our falling to this planet as a curse. To Lanothians, the day that we fell to this sandy world was the day that humanity grew. In spirit. Though humanity hasn't yet reached adulthood, we are no longer children. Earth was our cradle. Now we have moved beyond that. We still have a lot to grow and to learn before we reach adulthood and this planet and surviving its treacherous environment is the next obstacle course."  
  
"You're what?!" Wolfwood's voice cut through the silence of the tunnel, Vash glanced back momentarily and flashed me a wide grin.  
  
I laughed, "I guess she finally told him."  
  
Kestrel looked at Milly and Wolfwood out of the corner of her eye, and smiled, "They're a cute couple."  
  
"Yeah, they are."  
  
Kestrel smiled again and looked away.  
  
"So do you have someone waiting for you back in Lanoth?"  
  
Kestrel snorted, "Naw. Last boyfriend I had was a year ago. We broke up over a silly little argument, I can't even remember what it was. Guess it wasn't meant to be." She sighed, shrugging, "I haven't really been looking."  
  
"Ah,"  
  
Wolfwood  
  
"I really don't understand it, Milly." I sighed, "I mean, It's not like I'm not happy to be back, but I want to know 'why'. She said there was a reason for me to return. Is it too much to ask for an explanation?"  
  
"I don't think so. Can't you contact... um... Her?"  
  
"If I can, I don't know how. It's not like I have telepathy like Vash, Knives or Kestrel."  
  
"My big big brother always said: The answers to life's questions will come to you when they, and they alone, are ready."  
  
I laughed, "Did he now?"   
  
"Yep! My big big brother was always talking about fate and destiny. He and Papa would get into these really long philosophical conversations over meal times." She laughed, "Mama got so tired of it she only allowed it during dinner."  
  
I laughed again, "What a strange family you have, Milly! I would love to meet them."  
  
"They would adore you!" Milly clapped her hands together happily.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that's an understatement?"  
  
Milly giggled.  
  
Then her face took on a more serious look and she began wringing her hands.  
  
"Nicholas there's something I have to tell you."  
  
"What is it, Milly?"  
  
"Do you remember... before you died... we..."  
  
I nodded, smiling, then I frowned, "You don't regret it do you?"  
  
Milly's eyes widened, "Oh, no. Not at all! that was the most wonderful day of my life. But I... well I wanted to tell you that I'm... I'm pregnant."  
  
"You're what?!" I couldn't help it. This was something I hadn't seen coming.   
  
Milly giggled, "I'm pregnant. Twins."  
  
"You're..." I shifted my cross on my shoulder so I could look at Milly, "Wow, I'm going to be a father?"  
  
Milly leaned over and kissed my cheek lightly, "You're going to be a father."  
  
I laughed, "Great! Can we name 'em both Wolfwood Jr.?"  
  
Milly giggled, "Silly man, one of them is a girl."  
  
"Oh. Oh, OK. Then the boy can be Wolfwood Jr. And the girl can be Milly Jr."  
  
She laughed and I took her hand into mine.  
  
"I just hope they are as smart as you."  
  
  
  
Knives  
  
I wanted to puke.  
  
All these humans talk about is nonsense.  
  
Honestly, listening to thomas' giving birth would be more interesting.  
  
What they though of was even worse, I'd managed to break through a few of the barriers Vash had set up in my mind, but I couldn't effect anything. I could enter others minds, but I could not affect them, just listen.  
  
Kestrel was wondering about her father, and if his leg was still broken from some fall or another.  
  
The human Meryl was thinking incredibly disturbing thoughts about Vash.  
  
The human Milly was thinking up names for her two brats.  
  
And the priest... all he wanted was a smoke.  
  
Oh and speaking of odd thoughts, I kept getting these donut cravings coming from Vash.   
  
I'm surrounded by imbeciles.  
  
It takes one to know one, Knives  
  
Kestrel.  
  
Dammit human, stop waltzing your way into my head!  
  
Her mental laughter echoed in my head, Really Knives. I could say the same to you.  
  
Why you--  
  
Ever heard the saying 'you reap what you sew?'  
  
Of course.  
  
How about: Do unto others as you would do unto them?  
  
Your point, human?  
  
She laughed again, It's not that hard to figure out, buddy. You stay out of my head and I'll stay out of yours.  
  
I do what I want.  
  
As do I.  
  
I cursed under my breath, Stay out, human, or--  
  
Or what, Knives? You'll kill me?  
  
I might.  
  
I don't think so. You're worthless without your powers. And your gun has no bullets.  
  
Dammit, human--  
  
You know you say that a lot. Don't you have any other curse words? I would think a 130 year old would know every curse in the book. Or don't you read?  
  
Puttana.  
  
What's that?  
  
Italian for bitch.  
  
She burst out laughing. Everyone looked at her in surprise and she just waved sheepishly.  
  
I shook my head and sighed.  
  
She's really cute, ain't she? Vash said.  
  
Oh shut up, Vash.  
  
He chuckled.  
  
  
  
  
  
Unknown  
  
"Where are they!?" He yelled into the dark recesses of his ship.  
  
Not having the mental capacity to respond, the automatons in front of him could only stand there. They idly shifted form one clawed foot to the other.  
  
He growled out in frustration, "You will not escape me that easily, little simaki."  
  
He mentally ordered more of the automatons down into the vast circuit of tunnels.   
  
"I will find you, little simaki, no matter how long it takes, and I will destroy you!"  
  
  
  
Many thankees to foo!  
  
Reviewer responses  
  
Lord Hustino: A hell, man, you always say that. Me is happy, though. so don't stop. Unless I do something bad. hehe.  
  
Saroya: 'Soon' is here! an thank you.  
  
Batbabe1: I am ashamed. But you liked it so I hope you can forgive me. LoL  
  
Chibi Chibi: thanks, I thought i was being clever, hehe. and its alright for not review every chpter. just as long as it's a good read. that all that matters..... sorta. hehe  
  
SuperNova: Thankyou!  
  
Rosebud: ah you don't know how much I fretted when I didn't get your review within the first couple of days. I was worried. Very worried. I am happy to hope that I did a good job on bringing Wolfwood back. and you are right. Many stories really don't bring him back realistically. 


	21. Chapter 20: Ravine

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Disclaimer: Speedos!

Nova

Chapter 20: Ravine

Knives

"What now?" asked Vash.

We stood at the mouth of the tunnel, which abruptly ended with a steep drop. I stared down into the dark and if it weren't for the sound of a raging river far below, one might think it were virtually bottomless.

It stretched as far as the eye could see on either side. Dark as death. On the other side of the ravine the tunnel continued. But there was no way we could possibly get across. 

Unless of course Kestrel started sprouting Telekinetic powers, but that was highly unlikely. 

"We could go back the way we came and try to find another route." The priest offered.

Vash was muttering about bad luck following him like a plague, when a ear splitting roar sliced through the air.

"Oh great!" Vash yelled, "Wonderful timing!"

"Look Mr. Vash!" the human Milly cried. she was pointing to a narrow ledge off the edge of the mouth of the tunnel. Out into the ravine, where one slip could send you falling to your death. Even if you did hit water, the impact alone would be enough to make any living thing into a pancake.

Vash jumped onto the narrow out-cropping followed closely by the priest and the tall female, and then went the shorter human.

Kestrel paused before moving slowly towards the outcropping. 

"Move it human, we don't have all day to dillydally."

I heard a choked-off noise eminate from her that could have been a laugh, but she said nothing otherwise.

What the hell was that? I shook my head in confusion and followed after her.

I was still fairly close to the edge when they beasts reached the edge of the tunnel. Suddenly, one of the beasts reached around the corner, its claws missed my shoulder by inches.

I pushed myself away from them, literally mashing Kestrel between myself and the human Meryl.

The beast roared all its frustration at me as our parade of bodies slowly moved away.

Suddenly we came to a stop twenty feet from the maw.

"Vash?" I called over.

"Hold on! I need to clear some rock that's in the way."

I looked down and watched Kestrel's face go through a series of emotions as she looked down the ravine. Fear, anxiety, shortness of breath, and then it hit me. She's afraid of heights.

I couldn't help myself. I laughed.

Her head shot up and she glared at me, "What?"

"You're afraid of heights, I would never have imagined--"

I touched her shoulder like I was going to push her off. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened and she tried to lean back further into the wall. 

I chuckled and took my hand away, but her face didn't change. Her eyes were her still wide and her face had gone pale, and being so close to her I could feel her trembling. 

I narrowed my eyes as I examined her. She was truly scared to death.

I reached out to her mind which was open like a gaping wound. Her thoughts were moving an ile a minute. All the times she'd walked along the cliffs of Lanoth, falling from the roof of her house, feeling the paralysis that hit every time she was above the ground more than ten feet. All these thoughts and many more rushed through her panicked mind. 

What an irrational fear.

And she knew it. But there was nothing she could do to stop the fear from escalating.

And then I thought... why not just push her. Get rid of the piece of trash once and for all. 

No. I couldn't. What would Vash think? 

But since when did I ever care what he thought?

I looked down at her. I should be happy that the human was experiencing her worst fear. But I wasn't. Maybe a month ago, before all... this... I would have been. And I wouldn't have thought twice about pushing her off. 

Damn, losing most of my powers and living with these humans had made me weak. That woman saving my life had made me weak. 

No more.

I reached out finally resolved to push when a shout from Vash stopped me.

"Alright, I got it! And look! I think I see a way we can get across!"

I let my hand drop to my side and caught an odd look on Kestrel's face. But before I could make out what it meant it was gone as she slid away from me towards the others.

I smiled. Maybe next time.

Kestrel

I don't know what happened back there. But whatever Knives was thinking was far more scary than those immense heights. 

The first time he'd touched my shoulder he'd just been playing with my head, but the second time...

Maybe it was the thought that Knives could so easily decide to bromg someone to death was what was so frightening.

I followed Meryl across the natural bridge that crossed the massive ravine. I did my best not to look anywhere but at the back of Meryl's head, afraid that if I did and looked down I would be paralyzed.

I could feel Knives' eyes watching me. What in God's name was wrong with that man? He was as unpredictable as the summer sandstorms that ravaged the walls of Lanoth Valley every year, and as cunning and devious as the Mawki sand lizards. 

Finally we reached the other side. I was relieved to see the outcropping on this area was wider, and my fears of being 'pushed off' faded.

Even so, I stayed as close to the wall as I possibly could. As we got to the other half of the tunnel I could see the creatures trying their best to fit their large bodies onto the narrow outcropping.

The second we entered the tunnel it was almost a direct upward slope. 

"We must have finally reached somewhere close to an exit!" Vash cried happily, "It's going straight up!"

Sure enough just after the tunnel leveled out, a bright light blared into existence in front of us. 

Vash took Meryl and spun her around in a circle, as they both laughed.

Wolfwood let out a whoop of joy and Milly laughed and clapped her hands happily.

I let out a sigh of relief.

Knives neither said nor did nothing, he just continued walking towards the exit.

We stepped out into the sunlight, squinting as the glare from the suns met our eyes for the first time in two days.

We saw something else as we left the tunnel. A humongous shape lay prone in the sand. 

Halfway buried under 130 years of sand.

A ship.

The middle had collapsed and the back where the Plants would have been was completely gone. 

Even though the sand and wind had worn most of it away I could still see the shapes of large letters printed on the side.

"SEEDS" I whispered aloud.

Thanks to wise Foo.

****

Reviewer responses.

Lord Hustino: Alright! XD One of a kind! Unique! Top of the line! hehe. Back atcha, friend. 

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Saroya: Meow? I knew you were no mere mortal, Saroya, but I see now that you're actually... a cat. *_* No wait a minute... uh... thank you! I'm glad you like them.

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Rosebud: Wow I actually got a laugh? Coooool. Hehe, I knew you would like the WM. :) Oh and I've already got name picked out for the two kiddies, though Eden is a very pretty name. :) Thanks for the suggestion anyway. 

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Chibi Chibi: Oh, hell no, Knives admitting it? Crikey, that'll be the day! One which I shall relish in writing! *evil laugh*

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DjMonkey: I'm glad you like it, and it's nice to see a new reviewer. :)

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Neptune Butterfly: Hey hey! Another person laughed! does this mean I can finally fulfil my life long dream of writing a humor fic? ............. Naw. Not THAT funny. hehe. But to clear up a few things: The mystery person is still the same one as last time, the lizard dude. oy, I have a name for him and his creatures but I haven't yet found a way to introduce the names yet. *shrugs*. OH and 'simaki' is made up. Basically it's like Knives calling humans 'spiders'. A demeaning sort of word. ^_^ 

Desmonia: You stabbed yourself? oog. just the thought of blood makes me a little queasy... no seriously I feel queasy. hmm or its that pancake I had for breakfast. ug. Well... heal well, so it's not hard to write up a review! :)

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	22. Chapter 21: Red Mountians

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Disclaimer: The disclaimer isn't here. It's making merry in the truck with the review button! ........... *cough* that's just gross

Nova

Chapter 21: Red Mountains 

Knives

The ship was almost completely intact. At some point the middle had caved inward, and the back was in a trail of wreckage almost four iles long heading to the south.

I now stood at the crest of a pair of rocks that tilted inward towards each other, examining the ship that had come to rest in a basin surrounded by tall reddish-brown mountains. 

There must have been no survivors, despite the ship's lack of damage. The surviving humans always made towns around the crashed ships.

Lack of any settlement could be a cause of the fact that apparently on impact the Plants and engine room had been crushed. That wreckage probably made up the debris trail.

"Sleep well, my sisters." I whispered quietly, sliding off the rocks and leaping down next to Vash. 

"What did you see?" He asked.

"It looks like the ship tried to make a controlled landing."

"Where are all the people?" 

"Most likely dead." I said, glancing back at our human companions. Kestrel was the first to catch my eye, she was shielding her eyes with a hand examining the surrounding mountains. A hint of recognition played on her face occasionally.

"You recognize this place, human?" I asked, calling out to her.

She glanced at me, as if considering whether to answer me or not, then looked back at the mountains. "Yes. I do. I don't think we're too far form Lanoth. This mountain range reaches all the way past Lanoth and on down through the equator. This particular basin, however, I've never seen on any maps,. We might be in the Phantoms region of the Red Mountains. Just about nothing has been mapped in the Phantoms region."

"Phantoms region?" the priest asked incredulously.

I caught the edge of a smile on her face, "Yeah, interesting story. About twenty years ago when we were

mapping this area the explorers started seeing a bunch of crazy shit." She laughed, brushing at her brilliant blue hair.

"Like what?" Vash piped up, obviously intrigued.

"Fleeting shapes in the distance, disembodied whispers, odd shadows. Once their equipment was scattered during the night, another night they saw small orbs of light surrounding them. The last day they were out there one of their team disappeared, and they found his blood all over not far away. It was enough to freak those poor explorers out. They left and marked this area as unexplorable."

I snorted, "You humans are superstitious to no end." 

She gave me a half-lidded glance before occupying herself with combing her fingers through her hair.

I felt a slight alien flutter touch the inside of my chest, but it disappeared to quickly for me to dwell on it, and I looked away.

"Well!" Vash said in a heroic voice, hitting a fist to his chest, "I, Vash, shall protect you! No one will be hurt while I am her protector!"

"What about me?" the priest asked.

Vash leaned back and examined the priest, "Hell no! You can protect yourself!"

"That's not what I was saying needle-noggin--"

"Doesn't apply anymore." Vash said lightly, pointing to his ponytail.

"Huh?" he looked at Vash with confusion on his face then shook his head, "Whatever! I was saying what about /me/ protecting the girls."

I sighed and walked away as the three women began chuckling at the two's banter. 

I hope to whatever god there is that it's a phase. Please just let it be a phase. 

I touched the side of the ship, it's metal warm form the heat of the suns. 

The others were further down, climbing in and out of the collapsed middle.

It didn't make any sense to me. Even without the plants, the humans, along with that annoying tenacity of theirs, would have at least tried to make some sort of habitation. But there was nothing here. No signs of the ship even /slightly/ being taken apart. everything was left as it was. Maybe the humans didn't even wake. Maybe they still sleep in their individual pods, still hoping to wake and find themselves at a new lush planet to slowly consume. 

I glanced back at the ruined engine room. 

No. With the engines having been destroyed, the pods should have automatically opened, or else they would have run out of air and perished in their sleep. 

I can only hope it was the latter.

I felt /her/ come up behind me. 

I glanced back and watched Kestrel approach. She stopped a safe distance away and looked up at me, "You were thinking of killing me, weren't you? Back in the ravine?"

How did-- I gave her a look of disgust.

"You were reading my mind again. You dare--"

She tilted her head upward in defiance, "I wasn't, Knives. Like I said before, you project some of your thoughts. And what you were projecting was definitely something malicious."

"What do you want, human? Make it quick, I don't have time for you."

"I want to understand. I want to understand what it is that make you want to kill me. As far as I know I have done nothing to hurt you. Have I?"

I pressed my palm against the metal of the ship and let the heat seep into my skin.

I couldn't think of anything to say. What could I possibly tell her that wouldn't be interpreted by Vash as some weak emotion. 

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"No. You don't. But I would like to know what it is that I have done to make you angry with me. If I have to die I want to at least know why." 

You make me weak, human, you want me to tell you something I don't even understand myself. I almost said it, but a hundred and thirty years of self discipline, luckily, got in the way.

I head a shuffling of sand and turned my head to see her walking away. I felt another light flutter in my chest. 

I removed my hand for the side of the ship, sat down next to it, and tried to understand why that human was beginning to effect me, and what exactly that effect was.

Reviewer Responses.

Oooooog, I stayed up too late last night... cant respond with anything coherent..... bleagh.

Thankee to those who reviewed

Saroya

Lord Hustino

Chibi Chibi

Rosebud

Neptune Butterfly

Deyang

DaShoeNockuh

Rainy-days13 

****

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	23. Chapter 22: Phantoms

Disclaimer: EEEEEEEKKKKKK! Blah, blah, blah, me, me, me blah, blah, blah, me, me, me......... what?

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Nova

Chapter 22: Phantoms

Meryl

I opened my eyes and looked around trying to find out what had woken me. What light there was coming from Vash's small lantern did little to penetrate the darkness around us. 

Even the three of five moons high in the sky barely seemed to touch the darkened wasteland. 

I sat up and examined the other sleepers.

All was quiet, except for Vash's quiet snores from beside me. Milly and Wolfwood, were sleeping peacefully in one corner of our camp. Kestrel and Knives were naturally at opposite sides of the camp. 

Nothing out of the ordinary. 

I pursed my lips, sighed and lay back down, snuggling into Vash's chest. I closed my eyes as he muttered, "Cat stol' m'doughnuts..."

I smiled... then I heard it.

A soft ghostly wail almost hidden by the rising and falling wind, caught my ear. 

My eyes shot open again, but this time I shook Vash awake. "Vash."

"Don' have any beer?"

"Dammit Vash. Wake. Up." 

Vash's eyes popped open and he quickly sat up, "What? What's the matter? Are those creatures here?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, but _something's_ out there."

Another wail, this time louder, made Vash stiffen, "What the...?"

"Wake Wolfwood," he said, quietly and literally crawled over to Knives and began shaking him. I did as Vash asked and woke Wolfwood, "What is it?" he asked.

"Don't know. Something's out there."

A third and even louder wail, followed by a loud grating noise, woke both Kestrel and Milly. 

Wolfwood reached for his cross and stood, Milly getting up with him.

Kestrel stood as well and joined Wolfwood, Milly, and me. 

Vash and Knives not far behind.

Wolfwood

I opened my cross and passed out a couple of guns, to Vash, Knives and Meryl, Kestrel sheepishly declined, saying she didn't know how to shoot, and Milly picked up her stungun.

That's when the whispers started, it was like there were thousands of them, speaking in a strange dialect. Surrounding us from all angles.

I set my gun and pointed it out into the darkness. The whispering slowed to a halt. 

And all was quiet.

The next morning we saw nothing out of the ordinary. But on the other hand, we were all tired from lack of sleep.

The girls had gone of the caves to find a place to refill our canteens and Knives... well who knows where that psycho went. 

He obviously didn't feel the need to tell anyone where he was going. 

I pulled a cigarette from my shirt pocket, fingered it for a moment, then tossed it to the ground and dug my heel into it, "I really got to quit." I muttered.

"Say what?" Vash asked, looking up from his duffel bag.

"Nothin'" 

Kestrel

"--and we've decided to name the girl Micheala, and the boy Nicholas Jr." Milly said happily, as we exited the cave.

"Those are some nice choices." Meryl grinned.

"What do you think Miss Kestrel?"

"Those are--" I started, then stopped in my tracks staring at something on the ground.

Meryl and Milly stopped short, "Kestrel? What is it?"

I reached down, picked something up from under the sand and held it up.

A small hand made doll.

I looked up at the other two in surprise, "A doll?"

A sudden scuffle and a sneeze behind us, made us turn sharply. Only to see a small boy and even smaller girl.

"Well hello there." Said Milly.

The two children backed up a little and huddled close to each other.

"It's okay," said Meryl taking a step towards the children, "_we're_ not going to hurt you."

__

Click. 

"Don't move." A low voice commanded.

Meryl stopped in her tracks and I began to turn my head, when suddenly a sharp pain exploded in my head and I fell the ground darkness taking me.

Hellllllooooooooooo! Hoooooooowwwww aaarrrreeeee yyyyooooooouuuuuuu??????

OK. What the hell what _that? _I think I've been watching too much Finding Nemo.... eh heh.

Anyway I'm sorry this chapter was a little shorter, but it seemed very evil to end it there so I did... ehehe.... muwahahahaha.... MUWAHAHAHAHAHHAA....

OK time to stop.

Ok, hopefully the next chapter will be up by either Sunday or Monday, and if it's not... we you can beat me up with a blunt knife... or more preferably... Knives, *wink wink* 

YES I ADMIT IT! I have an unhealthy obsession with Knives.... ch, time to go.

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Reviewer responses!

Blah, blah, blah, me, me—no wait that was the disclaimer..... uh... right....

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Desmonia: Ok, I'll try to watch the capitalization, and yes KoOkIeS and KNIVES! 

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El Hustino: Yes knives is indeed a demented little psycho. But hell we love him for it right? I do any way. I think I just admitted something I shouldn't have.... ANYWAY to answer your truck questions... Why does anyone do it in the truck? Yes it is the same truck. Unfortunately no. Not very. Lol.

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Potions Master 19: Why thank you! Thank you for reviewing!

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Rosebud: Sorry last chapter was delayed! I think I'm going to work on trying to update more frequently. J And yes there is much to come in Lanoth but there will be one more stop before that. And the meeting in Lanoth I hope will be interesting! 


	24. Chapter 23: Searching

Disclaimer: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 

Nova

Chapter 23: Searching 

Vash

"Shouldn't the girls have returned by now?" Wolfwood said looking out at the mountains.

"Yeah." I said.

"Maybe the 'spooks' got them." Knives, who had long returned, chuckled.

I glared at him, "Not funny."

He chuckled again.

I shook my head and stood up, "They've been gone too long. Spooks or not something's happened to them."

"If we're lucky they fell into the ravine. Or better yet those creatures got them." Knives muttered.

I chose to ignore him and went to stand next to Wolfwood, "What do you think?"

He shook his head shifting his weight form one foot the other, "It's too quiet. Hell, it's silent as a grave, but those creatures make a _lot_ of noise. It can't be them." 

"I think we better go look for them." I said.

Wolfwood nodded, "You still have the guns I gave you?"

"Yeah," I said, and Knives let out a short grunt.

"Good, I think we have a better chance of finding them if we split up." He said.

I nodded. "Right,"

"Let's start at the cave entrance," Wolfwood muttered, heading towards the general direction of the caves.

I started for a second direction then noticed that Knives wasn't moving. I looked back, "Aren't you going to help."

Knives gave me a half-lidded stare for a moment before sighing deeply, "Fine."

Knives

I'd found drag marks. 

They started about forty yarzs from the cave entrance and led away straight into the mountains. 

I began following them myself, deciding against contacting Vash. For all I knew I could be following a dead end.

For almost an ile I was surrounded by towering cliffs and hills then all that stopped and found myself entering a very strange terrain. I can think of nothing else to call it but a forest of boulders. 

There must have been thousands of them. A wide variety of size and shape, some being only a feel high, others over twenty feels high.

I followed the drag marks for another twenty or so yarz when they suddenly cut short. Someone had cleared it.

I looked back and contemplated retracing my steps, when I saw her.

Kestrel.

I would have missed her if it weren't for her blue hair, which was out of place in this dusty landscape. She was leaned up against a boulder her hands lying limply on the ground. A cold feeling coursed through my quickly beating heart.

I quickly threaded my way through the boulders and leaned down next to her side and checked her pulse. She was very much alive, just unconscious. I nearly let out a sigh of relief, but stopped myself, even though no one else was here.

I sat there for a minute holding her wrist in my hand, watching the slight rise and fall of her chest. I glanced down at my belt where the priest's gun sat tucked into my belt.

The gun sat there. The power that one bullet had right now called to me. 

I heard her let out a small sigh, and I looked away from the gun to her face, "Dammit woman. What the hell are you doing to me?"

I let go of her wrist and lightly touched her shoulder, "Kes-- human. Human wake up."

"Hmm?" her eyes flickered, and she looked up at me, "Knives? Wha... what happened?"

"I don't know. Where are the other two?"

She looked around, "They're not here?" Suddenly she let a hiss and cringed as she touched the back of her head. She looked at her hand, finding blood on her finger tips.

She squinted up at me for a second before pushing herself up; I stood and backed up, stopping myself from helping her up.

Kestrel looked around again, "What the--? This isn't where we were."

"What?" I asked.

"We were in front of the cave entrance. When I got knocked out. But where are Meryl and Milly?"

Kestrel leaned back against the boulder and closed her eyes. 

I felt very awkward just standing there, and was about to ask her what she was doing when I felt her telepathic mind spread out and reach deep into our surroundings, then her eyes popped open, "They're over there." She muttered, pointing towards the west, "I felt their minds, they're unconscious."

She began walking forward, rubbing the back of her head gingerly. I followed after her without question. 

I head her mutter something, "What did you say?" I demanded.

"I said: I wonder how we ended up here?"

I didn't answer, really having nothing to contribute. And again I looked down at my borrowed gun. The thought of getting rid of her still nagging at my mind.

What have I done to make you want to kill me? Her words from earlier echoed through my head.

What _has_ she done? Other than save my life.

So what justification to kill her is there? She has hurt neither me nor Vash. Her people, though still human, weren't hurting the plants. In fact they lived together with the plants in this 'Lanoth Valley'.

Kestrel suddenly rushed forward. And I diverted my attention from my thoughts to her as Kestrel leaned down next to the other two human women, who lie on the ground, side by side.

I stopped behind her as she tried to rouse the women.

"Sadeh!" An unknown voice called out and suddenly we were surrounded by people in sandy cloaks using the boulders around us a cover. They held up rifles and prepared to shoot.

I reached for my gun when I heard Kestrel softly say from beside me, "Wait."

She stepped forward and pointed her middle and index fingers of both hands at the ground then quickly brought them above her head.

An immense purple cylindrical wall of pure energy rose up around myself and the human women. 

Volleys of bullets began firing out at us and as the bullets hit the wall of energy they became nothing more than molten droplets.

I looked down at Kestrel, beads of sweat rolled down her face and she breathed in and out very slowly as she concentrated.

"Oh my!" I heard Milly exclaim. I looked behind me to see the other two women push themselves to their feet.

Suddenly the volleys of bullets stopped. 

"Leh lehmahna nasa kahdeh, Jubei!" A voice called out.

"Kamahda!" Another voice said from the other side of the clearing.

I heard a gasp, and looked down at Kestrel again. She was losing her energy fast. She wouldn't be able to hold the force shield up for long. She fell to one knee and the shield flickered. 

I know, I know. Again it was very evil to end it there. IM SORRY! 

and I don't know why But I feel like smiling. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Oh yeah! And I think that my updates are going to be about every three days, if I dont burn myself out first. :D OO! I luv this new QuickEdit thing!

Reviewer Responses

Lord Hustino: 1) Idaho. 2) Yes, lack of options. 3) Yes it's a red truck, with yellow speed stripes and a Calvin pees on a Chevy sticker 4) You don't want to know. Just a single nuron of that thought can destroy the minds of even the most jaded of men. Tho I've heard its for the procreation of review alerts. Yes. A lot of questions. All with answers! Oh yes, I will warn Magnet-Thorn of Diablo's um... hentai streak. But I'm afraid he isn't the only one. hehehe.

Saroya: Hmmm. No I've never had chocolate covered expresso beans. I'm actully anti-artificial stimulant. that means... I only drink non-cafinated stuff. Though I have seen the effects of coffee. My brother stuffed a whole spoon full of coffee grains into his mouth and was... shall we say.... HYPER! AND... YES KNIVES RULES AaaaaaaaaaaLLLL!!   
  
Chibi Chibi: eha, I really hope you haven't really been waiting there all this time... You did bring food right? Hello? Pokes Chibi Chibi? OH CRAP! Chibi's been turned into a skeleton! NOOOOOO! Chibi Chibi RETUN TO US! YOU WERE TOO PRETTY TO DIE! Hmm.... luckily skeletons can review... right?   
  
SapphireWhiteTiggress: Well hello there! It's nice to see a new reviewer! And Mine is the frist on you read? Wow. I guess all I can say is that its an honor. :) Oh, and it's really not all that strange to just recently find Trigun, or get into it. Hell I think I found out about Trigun about this same time last year. :) Anyway WELCOME! Oh yes, the 'truck'. hahaha, that has become a weird point in the story that had oddly stuck. 

Rainy-days13: Updates! Soon! YAY! SUGAR! LOL.

Rosebud: Injustice indeed. Yay, cute mental images. Glad I could deliver. :) 

Yma: Cool. I hope the rest of the story will be enjoyable. :)

LegacyRBluesummers: Not really. :) But do, if just for the review count. X) lol.

Shadow's Assassin: Thank you, and thank you for reviewing. :)

.


	25. Chapter 24: Meeting

Disclaimer: Snnnnxxxx.... SSSNNNNNNXxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxsnort

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Nova

Chapter 25:Meeting

Kestrel

I couldn't hold it. The place on my head where I'd been hit was beginning to throb wildly. My concentration was waning, my vision was shifting in and out of concentration, and my telepathy was getting out of hand. I was starting to unintentionally pick up thoughts from the people around us.

Then... I felt _them_.

The creatures.

From what I could see through my blurred vision, the creature vaulted over the boulder and landed atop the people around us.

The people scattered and began firing at the creatures. Suddenly I felt a slow build up of energy from one the creatures. The same build up that I'd felt back in the City of January.

__

No. No. If they started up their force shields and cam at me... this place... would end up like January.

__

What? I closed my eyes, and concentrated as hard as I could. There was something different about this one though. It was more... focused.

The words of my Master Teacher came floating up from the depths of my memory, _"In some rare cases the energy of the force shield can be focused. None but the most powerful has been very successful in replicating this technique intentionally."_

A missile. An energy missile.

Suddenly the energy was released and I killed my force shield just as the blast reached us.

Vash

I'd begun walking aimlessly. There were no tracks, no sign that they'd even been here, not to mention, there was barely any breeze at all so their tracks should have still been there.

__

Where are they?

"Vash!"

I turned and saw Wolfwood jogging up behind me.

"Wolfwood. Did you find anything?"

He shook his head with a sigh and stopped next to me, "No, nothing."

"Damn."

"What about Knives?" He asked, while adjusting his cross on his shoulder.

"Haven't heard back from him yet."

Wolfwood narrowed his eyes, "I don't get it. They can't have just up and disappeared, and I sure as hell don't buy the 'spooks' thing."

"Yeah, but you gotta admit it's weird."

Wolfwood gave a nod then his eyes widened as he looked at something behind me. "What in the world?"

"What?"

"What is _that?!_"

I turned and, not far off was a huge beam of purple energy rising into the sky.

Remembering something Kestrel had said, I knew what it was, "It has to be Kestrel's force shield!"

"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Wolfwood hiked his cross further up onto his shoulder and took off into a run.

I was closed at his heels, _Knives?! Where are you?!_ I called out telepathically.

__

With the women! We're being attacked! Knives' telepathic reply shot back.

__

Those creatures?

No, huma-- his voice cut short.

__

Knives!?

The purple beam of light suddenly died and huge dust cloud rose up in its place. As we neared the area we were enveloped in the dust cloud.

"Dammit!"

__

Please be alright.

Kestrel

I was far too weak to move, I felt like all my muscles were locking up, then I felt strong arms grab me around the waist and pull me away from the thick dust cloud.

I looked over my shoulder at who held me and nearly choked when I saw that it was Knives, he looked at me for a second then dropped me unceremoniously onto the ground behind a wide boulder.

"Knives--?"

"Shh!" He peered around the side of the boulder.

Meryl and Milly were not far off, behind a large boulder of their own, coughing from the dust.

Some of the humans who'd attacked earlier began cutting through the cloud and ran for the high cliffs to the east.

"Come!" one of them said to us, beckoning us to follow them.

"You!" Knives barked at Meryl and Milly, "Get her." He said jerking his head towards me.

Wordlessly they helped me to my feet and Knives led the way after the retreating people.

We were led through a huge canyon, the walls of which were a complete vertical drop and pierced the side of a group of mountains. It looked exactly like the ravine, except we were outside and at the bottom of it.

"Looks kind of like the ravine," Meryl said quietly, voicing my exact thoughts.

"Yeah," Milly said from my other side.

"Here let me take her." A soft voice said from beside us, a man took Meryl's place and lifted me up the rest of the way. I wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and looked at him wearily.

"Hello, my name is Shane. Uh... I want to apologize for us attacking you back there." He gave me a hesitant smile, "We thought you were someone else."

"Who?"

"We've been having problems with a group of outlaws for quite awhile. I do apologize. They often come in acting as lost travelers."

"What do they want?" Asked Meryl as we passed under the edge of mountain.

"The water." Shane snorted.

"Oh course," said Meryl, "It's so abundant here, isn't it? A resource like that could make anyone a fortune."

"Exactly, and unfortunately they aren't willing to share this land with us. They've been trying to drive us out for years."

"So you've been using scare tactics on them. You act as ghosts?" I said quietly.

"Yeah, it's been quit effective over the years, and it doesn't hurt anyone."

"Uh, some years ago, a team of explorers came here. One was killed; I'd call that hurting someone." I said.

"Oh. Oh! No, no, no, he wasn't killed, just injured."

"What?"

"Yeah, that wasn't our fault. They were in a hot sandworm area. An infant 'worm got a hold of him and dragged him around quite a bit. The scouts managed to get him before he was killed. He's been with us ever since."

"Oh."

Everyone stopped, and I peered over their heads to see what was going on.

Ahead of us was a wide river flowing towards us but at its closest made a sharp turn to the left into a squat but wide hole in the canyon wall. What was 'going on' was a stone bridge was being lowered over the river.

I looked up feeling someone watching me. Knives.

He'd fallen back a little to listen to our conversation. His gaze was locked with mine for almost a minute, a strange look on his face, when a voice called out.

We continued forward and I looked up when a slight glow caught my eye, "Is this the ravine? The one near the entrance to those caves?" I asked Shane.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah."

"Cool."

Someone approached us from behind, "Oh, there you are," then he switched to that other language, "Shane, fadehsa lehma ahna leh lehmasa."

"Kamahda." Shane looked at me, "Let's go meet our leader, okay?"

Hmmm, I did something a little weird in writing this chapter. I wrote all the dialogue first.

So if it seemed a little odd, writing wise, now you know why. Otherwise if you didn't notice anything out for the ordinary... that's a good thing. Unless it made the writing worse. Yeah.

Ok, next update should either be late Friday, or early Saturday. Unless I get delayed, which is unlikely, possibly late Saturday.

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Sepik: Make a whole language. Oh, hell no. just a few words for here and there. No writing a whole language is a writing project in it's own right. I know too. I've tried. No, for Nova it's just going to be a few words. To create a whole language, you have to deal with syntax and flow, and a bunch of other stuff. But I'm not going to lie to you. I do want to make my own language. Just like Tolkien. :) My brother thinks I'm crazy.

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Chibi Chibi: Yes, I know, It was very evil, you know sometime I think that I'm as evil as my evil side, Magnet-Thorn. Lol. I guess it was obvious, huh? about the people from the ship? :) Yay! Popcorn! Good timing, my dad forbade popcorn bingeing...

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KeNsHiNs GuRL: Oh cool, a new reviewer! YAY! I'm glad that you like it.

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Lord Hustino(Diablo): _Magnet-Thorn:_ Someone looking for me? _Magnet-Rose:_ Yes. Lord Hustino's evil twin, Diablo. _Thorn:_ Ooh. Hustino? _Rose:_ Yes. Hustino. You remember him. The one whose minions you keep tourturing whenever they come over. _Thorn:_ Oh him. _Rose:_ sigh _Thorn:_ Say Diablo, honey, I got that nice red truck over here. wink wink _Rose:_ Sigh What I tell ya. Diablo's not the only hentai.

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Yma: Thank you, I've been trying to keep it as real as possible. (:

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Rosebud: What kind of curse is it? Not too bad I hope. :D If it's a bad hair day thing, don't bother. I have a bad hair day every day. :P

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SapphireWhiteTiggress: Knives is cooooooooool. Unfortunately you don't see much of him in the anime. You do see him a lot in the manga. He is sooooo _HOT. _You'll have to excuse me. I'm a diehard Knives fangirl. :D


	26. Chapter 25: Meeting: Part two

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Disclaimer: The disclaimer isn't here. And no. I'm afraid this time it's not making merry in the truck. Magnet-Thorn scared it into hiding. The truck has been stolen by Magnet-Thorn and El Diablo, and they are chasing after my poor El Hustino minions... poor minions. Me: "HEY NO RUNNINIG OVER THE MINIONS!" El Diablo: Go faster, Thorn! Magnet-Thorn: Right!

Lol, I'm really weird. All hail weird people! HAIL!

Please excuse the title of this chapter. Couldn't think of anything better.

Nova

Chapter 25: Meeting: Part 2

Vash

"That pistol that you gave Knives couldn't have done this." I said quietly.

We'd found a creature. Dead. Its yellow blood splattered everywhere inside a charred crater almost fifty feels in diameter.

Wolfwood leaned down and lightly touched the singed ground, "Then what did?"

"Before I lost contact with Knives, he said that they were being attacked by humans." I said, looking around at the hundreds of boulders around us.

"So then--" Wolfwood started.

A sharp whistle cut him off, and we tuned to see a young man perched atop a high boulder at the edge of the crater. He smiled down at us.

"Your friends are safe!" He called down.

"Where are they?" Wolfwood demanded.

"Follow me!" The young man hopped up and began hopping from one boulder to the next making his way towards the mountains.

"A trap?" Wolfwood asked. Shifting his cross.

"Probably. But we have no choice. Let's go."

Knives

The human Shane led us past the underground river, and into a huge cathedral-like cavern, sunlight filtering through large openings in the ceiling splashing across an intricately carved floor.

The carvings swirled around on the floor snaking up onto the walls, some even reaching the ceiling.

"Can you walk now?" I heard Shane say to Kestrel, and looked their way.

"Yes, thank you." Kestrel smiled.

The other two humans stopped as Shane set her onto her feet, supporting her arm until she regained her balance. But she still didn't look well, her face though not as pale as it had been, was still a very sickly color.

I looked away, growling at myself, why the hell should I care. She's only human.

"I am Yulan." A tall human, dwarfing me by about a feel, met us at a pair of double doors set into the wall, "leader of these people."

"Hello." Kestrel said, "I'm Kestrel Bluesummers."

The short human stepped forward, "I'm Meryl Stryfe and this is my partner Milly Thompson."

The human, Yulan, looked at me pointedly, "Knives Millions." He said.

"How do you know my name?" I demanded.

He looked up and past me, ignoring me completely, "Ah, Geon."

I turned as a young human approached, the two people following him I immediately recognized as Vash and the priest.

"Meryl!" Vash rushed past me and pulled his human into his arms.

"Nicholas!" The taller female human rushed the other way and tackled the priest.

"Hey there big girl," The priest choked out, "Do ya think you could let me breathe now?"

"Oh, sorry."

I turned my attention away from them back to Yulan, who was speaking to 'Geon' in that odd language of theirs.

__

How did he know my name?

Kestrel

"You probably have many questions." Yulan said from behind his desk. We were now situated in his study or office whatever you wanted to call it, as Yulan spoke. Shane and Geon had long gone, to retrieve the body of the dead creature, Yulan had said.

"Unfortunately we have few answers. Please sit." Yulan continued and pointed to a couch and loveseat in the center of the room.

Vash, Meryl, Wolfwood and Milly took the couch, leaving only... the loveseat.

I swear I felt all the blood drain from my face. I heard Knives growl and mutter something about this being planned and took a seat. I hesitated.

"Is something the matter?" Yulan asked.

I smiled sheepishly, "Uh, no. Nothing." and sat next to Knives, not looking at him at all.

"Now--" a beeping noise cut him off and he picked a phone device, "Yes? Oh, OK. Send them in."

I looked over my shoulder as the door opened and an old man and a young woman came through. The woman led the old man along to a chair next to the wall and helped him sit. When he sat, was when I got a good look at his face. His eyes were milky and unseeing. The blue streaks in his otherwise silver hair let me know that this man was a Lanothian. The explorer who had supposedly gotten killed here.

Theo Redwinter.

"Theo, I wasn't expecting you for another hour." Yulan said.

The old man chuckled, "I felt... I needed to be here."

"Yes... well..."

"Don't worry, boy, my rheumatism isn't _that_ bad."

"Uh, yes... these people are--"

"I know who they are." The old man literally looked in my direction, "Come here child."

I blinked, surprised, "M- me?" _How did he know where to look? He's blind._

"Yes. You." He smiled "And you'll find that I know a great many things, child."

__

Oh, you can use telepathy?

I may be old, child, but I am not addled in the brain.

Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean--

That's alright, come here.

I stood and went over to him, as I crouched next to him he took my face in his hands, and closed his sightless eyes, "Ahhhhh, yes. I see now."

"See what?" I whispered.

"I see... why he wants to destroy you." Theo.'s face turned sad, "Over..."

"Who? Who wants to destroy me? Over what?"

"Seldokas."

YES! I finally given a name to the lizard dude! Next chapter you'll find out what the creatures' name is uh... are... hmmm.

Now I've got a red truck and two evil sides to chase after.

ME: "HEY! GET BACK HERE YOU TWO!" "AND SOMEONE FIND THAT POOR DISCLAIMER!"

Magnet-Thorn: "Maybe clicking on the review button will bring it out."

Me: "Good idea." Blink. "Heeeeeyyy..."

Thorn: "Gotta go!" Jumps into red truck, with El Diablo, "DRIVE, DIABLO, DRIVE!"

Diablo: MUWAHAHAHHAAHHHAAahahahahahahaha.......

Red Truck: SCREEEEEECHHH! ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

ME: "Right." Rolls up sleeves, "You readers click on the review button, IIII've got work to do."

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Reviewer responses(Pre-recorded, author is currently chasing her evil side).

Lord Hustino: Yes. My updates have been more frequent! I'm going to try and keep to a schedule of a chapter every three days. XD Lets just see if I don't break under this self induced pressure! Evil Diablo and Thorn. You know I've tried that before... you know nailing my evil side in a closet. Didn't work. Oh, she was in the closet but I think evil sides have special powers! She melted into a liquid and slid under the door! Lol.

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Rosebud: Thanks! I really don't know how it got longer, but it's good that it was! - Oh, wow. You think so? There is going to be more of Shane later on in the story, nothing big and/or grand, but he will be here a bit. And yes Knives is a little jealous. But only a little, and he would never admit it, even to himself. Hehehe, I'm sure your hentai side is somewhere. I think I might have most of a chapter devoted to some fluff between the characters, but I can't say much or i might give something away. -

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Chibi Chibi: Yes, thank you, I would love some! Oh, good, i'm glad something was explained. - If i understand you right, it's kinda not really what she did to them but what she will do to them. :) OH! Those evil lizard thingies! I'll protect you my skeletal friend! Breaks out a flashlight,... O.O Ooookay. Hmmm. AHA! This is a flashlight/lightsaber! POPbzzzzzzzzzzzz, swish swish! MUWAHAHAHAHA fear my lightsaber! Monster thingies: Eek!

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You know... speaking of this being a long fic. Whoowhe! It just keeps growing. Hell, I though i'd have them in Lanoth by chapter 18! What happened, I have no idea! Well this is agood thing but I wish i knew how to control the length... hmm on the other hand maybe some things are better off left alone...


	27. Chapter 26: Vision

Nova

Chapter 26: Vision

Vash

"Ahhhhh, yes. I see now."

"See what?" Kestrel whispered.

"I see... why he wants to destroy you." The old man's face saddened, "Over..."

"Who? Who wants to destroy me? Over what?" Kestrel insisted.

"Seldokas."

"What's a Seldokas?" I asked.

"Not what. Who." Theo said quietly, "Yes... who."

"For many years now, I've been having fragmented visions. Kestrel, you may return to your seat, " He said in a low voice and I returned to the seat next to Knives.

He began again, "Slowly it all has begun to come together. Now it is complete. Listen now, for I have a tale for you..."

It begins four thousand years ago, on a planet many light years from here.

This planet had a sentient race. The Vriianes.

The Vriianes were in a time of war, the population split in two, fighting over and for something long forgotten.

The two sides, calling themselves the Vriianex, and the Vriisimaki fought mercilessly. Devastating each others lands and people. Cites were destroyed in the blink of an eye. The environment had fallen into a deep and unforgiving radiation winter. The sky was black with smoke for the weapons factories scattered across the war torn planet.

The air was filled with the cries of the weak and the dying.

Then... it happened. One side, the Vriianex had discovered a new, more deadly, more powerful form of weapon. From their bases on both moons they attempted to fire them off and destry to Vriisimaki once and for all.

Unfortunately for the Vriianex, they did not anticipate the exact magnitude of the weapons they had created. Set for a simultaneous launch the missiles reacted violently to the hastily built ignition mechanisms, detonating on the spot.

The sky was filled the sight of the two moons falling to the planet. And for once in almost six millennia, the sounds on the planet were not that of war. For a time all was quiet. For a time all looked to the sky in awe as the brilliant full moons exploded into the atmosphere.

Then it was chaos. The whole of the Vriianes were no longer consumed with fighting and getting revenge. But of surviving.

But... they did not join together in this crisis.

As the moons slowly fell to their dying planet, the two kept to themselves, both fleeing underground rather then have to face the surface that was beginning to burn.

Each began a desperate attempt to build a ship or ships large enough to send what was left of their populations into the safety of space. Neither knew if the other was successful, neither knew if the other had died in the process, neither knew if they would make if themselves. In the end only one survived.

The Vriianex. The ones who had doomed their planet in the first place.

Five years and seven months after the explosion that had taken out the moons, one ship blasted off from under the deep recesses of the planets surface and shot into the darkness of space.

Two thousand years later, the last surviving remnants of the Vriianes floated through space, all asleep in their Cryo-chambers. But the same hasty workmanship of the ignition mechanisms that destroyed their planet was also at work in the poorly built ship.

It started with the leakage of a coolant chamber. The coolant slowly dripped into the lower compartment that held the engine. Then something broke. And everything came to a halt.

The silence in the ship wasn't long lived.

It was soon broken by the sudden alarms blaring in the computer core.

The caretaker of the ship, Seldokas, a Vriianes connected directly via neural interface with the computers woke and began running the diagnostics and auto-repairs on the ship. It was of no use.

The ship which had been passing a binary star system, now no longer able to use it thrusters began a slow and tedious decent towards the second planet of the binary system, a dry inhospitable oxygen rich planet with five moons.

Seldokas did all he was trained to do in a situation like this. He used the back up engines in one final attempt at a controlled landing.

Seldokas tried to direct the ship towards the planet, but again the bad construction of the ship played its hand, and the ship fell to the surface of the fifth moon.

The main power source was destroyed in the fall. All of the Vriianex died instantly. All but one.

Seldokas.

Seldokas' chamber was self contained and self powered by an advanced atomic energy source. This energy source sustained him, and kept him alive.

Very quickly Seldokas' sanity began to wane. His mind was forever awake, never sleeping, always aware. He began to believe that the Vriisimaki and the Vriianex were still alive, and that the Vriisimaki were searching then out in order to destroy them, these beliefs were brought about by visions. Visions of a future very far away. His mind, still connected to what ship systems there still were, began to build an army.

He continued working at a rigorous pace, waiting for the day when the Vriianex of his visions would come. Another thousand years passed, and came they did in the shape and form of thousands of small ships. To us known as SEEDS.

Seldokas was shocked. It was too soon, he still had much to work with on his army.

But no attack ever came. But all of a sudden the ships crashed to the planet, and Seldokas got his first look as these so called 'Vriianex.'

In appearance they were different, and Seldokas took this as some sort of deception. Believing that the Vriianex had changed themselves in order to fool him.

These people on the planet settled, and still Seldokas worked on his army. Again anticipating an attack. And as he worked he studied these people. Watching them through the hundreds if telescopes on the ship, and very quickly learned the simple language.

A little over a hundred years later, Seldokas was suddenly alerted to high energy activity on the planet, he believed it to be a weapon in the testing.

But nothing of like that did he ever see again until almost three decades later when a beam of high energy shot up from the planet and hit the surface of the moon.

The blast the hit the moon was wide but it didn't even come close to the resting place of the Vriianex's ship.

This was the attack, Seldokas believed. This was the attack that he'd been waiting for.

Just a few more adjustments and his army would be complete. Just a little while longer and then they would be destroyed.

It wasn't long after the attack on the fifth moon that he began having more visions, this time instead of events, it was of individual faces of the people on the planet. The one that was most clear to him was that of a female, one with blue hair and gold eyes.

He saw her along with others, but these others were so blurred in his memory that he soon forgot all of them but the female. He saw her seeking him. Seeking him and then destroying him.

For the next two years he scoured the surface of the planet with his telescopes trying to find that face.

That face.

And when he found her, that's when he finally sent out the first of his army.

This army which he named the Saskanocs, the Vriianes word for 'divine avenger', were cyborgs, merely automatons, with the ability to counter the energy that the gold-eyed one posses.

They were created from the bodies of the dead Vriianex. And infused with technology that Seldokas had slowly built over time.

Kestrel

I stared at him as he finished his tale. I didn't know what to say.

Vash was the first to speak up, "So this guy Seldokas has been having visions like you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Theo shook his head, "I'm not sure. This was not something revealed to me." Theo opened his eyes, stared out sightlessly, and sighed, "I have done my part. Now it is time for me to rest."

None in the room stopped him as the young woman at Theo's side helped him to his feet and led him from the room.

I'm afraid I wrote this chapter at the last minute and I'm all tired out, not to mention I haven't been getting much sleep anyway. So no reviewer responses this time. :)

Thanks to those who did review though.

AilanthusFirmare

Lord Hustino

KeNsHiNs GuRL

Desmonia

Chibi Chibi

Rosebud


	28. Chapter 27: Suns Rise

Discalimer: Uh, what?****

Nova

Chapter 27: Suns Rise

Knives

We'd been given rooms for the night, but the tension emanating from just about every person here was reaching me and I was unable to sleep. I was beginning to regain a lot of my powers back, including the one that allowed me to sense what was going on around me. This did not include the one to block it.

And this room... was beginning to feel stuffy.

"Dammit." I changed position on the hard bed for the eighth time in ten minutes.

I had to get out of here.

Pushing myself up from the bed I slipped my feet into my boots and as quietly as I could slipped into the hallway.

The second I was opened the door I was hit with a blast of cool air, and I breathed it in deeply.

The other side of the hall was open to the cool air of the pre-dawn morning. Large pillars reached from the ceiling to the floor, casting slanted shadows on the wall from the moons.

I looked both ways down the hall. As early in the morning as it was I was surprised that no one was wandering about. These people seemed very busy. Like ants.

Speaking of busy... there was something going on in both of the rooms to the right of my room... Vash and Meryl's room and the priest and Milly's room.

I shook my head, "Disgusting." _I really hope they haven't been doing that all night. _I turned on my heel and headed left. In doing so, I passed by _her_ room.

The door was ajar and I could sense no presence inside. I wondered if the creatures, the Saskanocs had come and taken her. But I quickly brushed that idea away. It just wasn't like them to come quietly, they definitely made a lot of noise.

Don't tell me you're... worried. a small voice in the back of my mind said.

I huffed, and stormed past the open door.

Then I saw her.

Kestrel.

She was seated up against a pillar, her legs pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them and her chin resting on one knee, staring out at the brightening sky, a distant look in her eyes.

I don't know how long I stood there, but she finally noticed me, and smiled, curiosity on her face, "Hello, Knives."

"Hello... Kestrel."

She laughed lightly.

"What."

Her smile got wider, "I think that the first time you've used my name."

I snorted, "A mistake... human."

She laughed again, then... "What are you doing out here?"

"I could as you the same question." I said and leaned into the pillar next to hers.

"You could."

I looked down at her. She had a faint smile on her face. I wasn't sure what her expression meant. Humans have so god dammed many of them. But it seemed to say... _You can tell me... anything._

"I... couldn't sleep."

"Ah, me too. I have a lot on my mind, thought I might come out here and watch the suns rise."

"Why?"

She smiled and her eyes got distant again, "Back home, I used to watch the suns rise. I don't know why, but watching the birth of a new day was very... " She just shook her head, unable to find the right word, "It also helps me... think. I feel at peace, my head is clear."

She looked down, "I suppose it's silly, isn't it?"

"No." I looked away towards the rising suns, ignoring her questioning look.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked suddenly.

She smirked, "What? Not going to just enter my mind and find out?"

"I would rather not. I've had enough of your complex emotions gallivanting through my head."

She laughed then her face turned serious, "I was just wondering... why."

"Why what?"

"Why this Seldokas guy, singled me out. Of all the people in the world... why me? Before the city of January was destroyed... I'd done nothing extraordinary. Hell, I just barely got past Healer training as it was."

"It seems to me that force shield is very powerful."

"It's use is for defense only. But this Seldokas has found some way to counter the energies used, making a simple defense mechanism into a... giant bomb. Yeah, it's powerful. It if it weren't for these Saskanocs then it would be no more than just a energy shield." She squeezed her legs tighter to her chest a sad look entering her eyes.

"Something I don't understand..." I said staring at her intently, "how is it possible for you to use something that takes up so much energy? You are only human after all. How do you contain that energy? I don't sense any of it now. But back there, when these humans first attacked, I could sense it. It was like--"

"Flood gates opening?" She smiled.

"Exactly."

"Well, we don't. We don't keep the energy in our bodies. That isn't humanly possible. A certain amount of energy _can_ be stored in the body but for only a short amount of time. If it isn't released within that time period then the body will... explode."

"Then where does it come from."

She shrugged, "Don't know."

I stared at her, a little surprised, "You are using a power source, and you don't even know where it comes from?" I sneered, "Typical of you humans."

She frowned, "You know I'm really getting tired of that."

"Of what?" I growled out.

"You! You categorize humans like you know so much about us."

"I do know 'so much' about you."

"Really! How long have you actually spent around humans without always judging their actions? From what I understand you've spent most of your life, as far from humans as possible. Apparently you only know the bad side of humanity. With those Gung-ho Guns of yours."

She stared me in the eye, "Anyway we aren't just leaving it be, our Lanothian scientists are studying it almost around the clock. We're trying as hard as we can to learn about ourselves. We are a fairly new creation compared with the rest of the universe."

An awkward silence dropped over us like a thick blanket. She looked out at the sky again, her hard expression softening as the first sun peaked up over the mountain tops.

"The birth of a new day," she whispered, "Empty of mistakes, and regrets, but filled with the promise of new possibilities."

Smiling a wide smile at me, she laughed, "That's one of the last things I can remember my mother telling me."

Abruptly she stood and then winked at me, "Lets do this again sometime, eh?"

Then she walked past me and headed for her room.

I shook my head, "You are an odd one... Kestrel Bluesummers."

Ooo, I've go a serious headache. Been reading too many Naruto comics! Hehe, just recently got into Naruto. I really like it. BUT TRIGUN STILL RULES THEM ALL!

Ahhhhhhh! I got an idea for a sequel! THE HORROR! Well... not really, considering the ending. :) Yes... I have an ending. It's the only ending that I can say will really fit. But why talk about it now! I've still go a ways to go with this one!

I got me a Live Journal now, look in my non-existant profile to find it. Warning, much stupidity.

Reviewer Responses

Lord Hustino: I'm glad you liked it. :) I spent like three hours straight in front of the computer typing away like crazy. Yeah, seriously off his rocker! And amusing as hell they are! until they try to kill you of course. loll.

KeNsHiNs GuRL : Was this good? I know it wasn't really fluff... but is some interaction between Knives and Kes'. I'll try not to wear myself out, my insomnia problems should go away in a little bit. Even with the insomnia probs I think I might be able to handle it. :) We'll see!

Rosebud: You are? Coooooool. Thank you, very much! Or as my Italian CD says: Grazie mille! As for how along Milly is... I guess about two to three months. And I really do like you choir thing. I was thinking about it yesterday and I just started cracking up when I thought of Legato coming up on stage and out come a really high pitched voice. lol. Then I though about what if he had a really low voice... oO

Chibi Chibi : Skeletons can.... sleep? Hmmm I had no idea. ANYWAY! Why was Seldokas just having visions of her? well technically he was having visions of various people but Kes' was the one who stuck in his memory. Why this is... well hopefully I can explain it in later. I'm afraid I committed a bit of an amateur mistaky with that point. :(

Desmonia: Ew, exams... hehem, thanks for catching all those mistakes! Once I get the time I'll have to got back through and fix what you've brought up... So thankee! I have a serious spelling problem... -- Thank god for Spell Check.

Neptune Butterfly: No worries my Butterfly friend! Evil twins are COOOL. I love that little story. Maybe the person wit the other cat is a cute boy. ;) hehe. And I will have a nice little insertion of Kuroneko, well a cat named Kuro, later on in the story. :)

Yma: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! Great. :) I hope I don't disappoint you.


	29. Chapter 28: Leaving the Hidden City

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Disclaimer: Was stolen.

Nova

Chapter 28: Leaving the Hidden City.

No specific POV

"This is it?" Dr. Kelis asked, as four men lugged the body of a dead Saskanoc into the pastel white room.

"Yeah." said Shane, as they dropped it onto a narrow table.

"Alright, thank you. You boys head on home. I can take it from here."

"See ya, Doc!" "Later!"

The doctor absently waved goodbye as he peered down at the dead beast, "Well, aren't you an ugly looking fella."

He pulled on a pair of surgical gloves and switched on a bright overhead light.

"Now buddy lets see what you are made of." Dr. Kelis muttered.

Just as he touched the scalpel to the creatures scaly skin the Saskanoc's eyes shot open, the black pools stared up at the doctor.

"What th- urk!" The creature's hand shot up and grabbed the doctors throat.

The Saskanoc slowly pushed it self up to is clawed feet as the doctor began gasping for air. The doctor began convulsing, kicking and trying to pry the steel-like grip off of his neck.

Then it put it's other hand behind the doctors neck. Needle like wires pushed out from under its claws and pierced into the back of the doctors neck.

Suddenly both he and the Saskanoc went limp, and they fell to the ground.

The doctor pushed himself up from the floor. And stared down at his hand, clenching it experimentally.

He barked out a laugh, "Now little simaki... you will not escape me."

Next morning

Vash

"We'll be going this way." Shane said, pointing to a very detailed map of the sandworm tunnels.

"Great." I said, "Underground again."

"Well it sure beats thee days trekking through and open desert." Wolfwood commented peering over my shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Vash? What going on?" Meryl asked, appearing in the doorway. Milly, Kestrel, and Knives, behind her in the hall.

"Oh. Shane is going to guide us through the tunnels to Lanoth."

Meryl nodded, "Lanoth? Great."

"Yeah, after Theo Redwinter spoke to us, Kestrel suggested that we should probably head straight for Lanoth now. She said their Governor might have some better idea about what to do about this Seldokas character."

Meryl nodded again, "OK, well, we're ready to go whenever you are."

"Great."

Kestrel

We were just about to leave the hidden city, when a woman's voice called out, "Please! Wait a moment."

I turned to see Theo Redwinter, being led by the young woman, coming towards us, "Kestrel child, where are you?" Theo asked.

"Here." I said and approached the old man lightly touching his shoulder.

"Ah. There you are. Kestrel, child, I have a request to make."

"Yes?"

He reached into his coat pocket an pulled out a fat envelope, tattered at the edges like it had been handled for quite awhile, "I would like to ask if you could... give this to my son in Lanoth."

He pushed it forward and I took it form him, "S-- sure. But couldn't you come with us and give it to him yourself?"

Theo sighed, "I would. But I am far too old to make that kind of journey. For so long I wanted to make the journey but I could never bring myself to make it. You see, after my wife died, I parted on bad terms with the both her and my families. That is why I never went back. But... years ago I wrote these letters to my son, in the hope that one day I could explain to him... well.. that I was sorry. But I waited too long. Now I.. am too old. And I fear my time here in this world is coming to an end."

I looked down at the heavy envelope, "Oh." Then I looked up at him and even though he couldn't see it, I smiled, "It would be my pleasure to deliver this."

"Ahh, thank you, child. Come give this old man a hug,"

I laughed and gave him a hug, "Good luck on your journey, child, the same for all of you" he said, "I see that it will be a long one."

As we headed back towards the tunnels I caught Knives, who was walking next to me only three feet between us, giving me a strange look.

I grinned at him, "What?"

He just gave me a blank look before turning his head away, saying nothing.

I shook my head, and tucked the envelope into a pocket of my cape. Weird man.

Seldokas

The vision. It has changed. It has become clearer. No longer is it just /her/.

No. Now... there is another. Walking side by side with the little simaki.

Ha ha ha ha. Do you think... little simaki... that by getting help you will succeed in destroying me?

Fool.

Now you both will die.

With my new pawn they wouldn't suspect anything until too late. Fortunately taking over the mind of the simaki had been no problem at all. Weak minds they had.

Quickly I moved the pawn after the troupe of humans as they trekked deeper into the tunnels.

Apologies all around my peoples! I had an unmerciful writers block. Luckily for you and me, my writer's block at any time will last only about a week. Along with headaches... uh... yeah.

Anyway I think I did wear myself out. Pushing myself like that with all the sleep problems I've been having... well you get the idea. Mea culpa.

Anyway I think I might slow it down a little. I won't set myself to ant definite update schedule, but I can guarantee you that it will be between every three days to a week! Lets say around four or five days. :}

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Reviewer responses.

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Desmonia: Thank you! I'm sorry this is soooooo late. ...please don't hurt me... THIE WORLD IS MINE MuWahahahahah!

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Yam: this was kinda a lame chapter if you ask me... but maybe that's just my opinion. :) Thanks for reviewing!

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Sepik: Nah, you're just being kind! but thank you, anyway! And thanks for reviewing!

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KeNsHiNs GuRL: Hehehe. look like a lot of people are going to be after my head. I'm glad you liked it though!

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pyroblader: Oh happy day! A new reviewer! XD Thanks, I'm glad you liked it, I hope the rest was good too.

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Lord Hustino: Yeah I know. I tried to procure the truck, but Thorn has disappeared with it again. 

Yah! Can you believe that the thought of threatening her never crossed his mind! hehehe. I have no idea when or what chapter it'll end at but I can guarantee it's not /too/ soon. And I apologize this is late. :)

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Neptune Butterfly: All girl dorm? Oh horrors! No, haven't found the truck yet. Magnet-Thorn made off with it again. Thanks! I know it wasn't really fluffy, but they aren't quite ready for all that stuff yet. hehe.

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Rosebud: That's alright! I am very happy that you think so! I worried that I might now be do it right! Hehehe, Wolfwood seems very cool-headed to me, but I think he might freak out. You know pace consistently, pull his hair out, smoke four packs in an hour. LOL. Oh boy, and Vash... oh hell, he'd probably run himself into a wall. A shiny sparkly suit?! hehhehe, That would be coooool.

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Chris Cross: Thanks so much for the comments! I hope that it gets better throughout. Thanks for reviewing!

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shadowneko003: Here's your update! Thanks for reviewing!


	30. Chapter 29: Lanoth

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Disclaimer: Ah aha. I see. So that how it is! Oh no. I have just bee notified that the disclaimer has just died from a conniption. Until we can find another one Thorn will be taking over.

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Thorn: eh eh eh. Conniption.

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Nova

Chapter 29: Lanoth

Three Days later

Knives

It was three days later and we were finally stepping out of the tunnels. I was glad to be out of that depressing place, the only light I had seen was that of the lanterns that the human Shane had brought along. And even that wasn't much.

Not to mention that ever since we entered those damned tunnels Id been getting a constant feeling of being followed. And still was getting it as we got further away from the mouth of the tunnel exit. I had been keeping it to myself, not really sure of what I was feeling. No 'Saskanocs' and no other human travelers presented themselves.

I shook off the thoughts and the feeling and finally looked around at our current surroundings.

The mountains behind us stretched out on either side of the exit of the tunnel, the left side mountain range reached south falling into the horizon. The right side range went north then curved around into a crescent, its tip far of on the other side of a stark flatland that we were walking straight into.

This flatland, cradled by the crescent mountain range, flowed out into the open desert; waves of heat were steadily rising from the packed sand as the sun reached the apex of the sky, distorting the far off mountains and cliffs on the edges of the crescent.

"How much further is it?" I head Vash ask.

"Not far," Kestrel, who was walking almost right next to me, "Just across this flatland and then we have to cross a pass to get into Lanoth which is just on the other side of those cliffs over there."

"Great," Vash muttered, "If we don't toast first."

"Oh, don't be such a sissy," The priest said, playfully punching Vash's shoulder.

"I'm not being a sissy! I've crossed worse than this!" Slapping his chest with his palm.

"Sure you have." Nodding with a raised eye-brow.

"I have!"

"Oh stop it!" Meryl said angrily, "It's hot enough out here as it is without you two squabbling and making this walk even worse."

"Oh alright." Then, "I sure hope Lanoth has a bar." Vash whined, "I haven't had a good drink since... well forever."

"I'm with you there buddy!" Wolfwood said.

"Ooh, I hope they have pudding." Milly said.

I tuned them out, noticing Kestrel squinting out into the desert and occasionally up at the sun. A very relieved look on her face.

"It's a good thing it's only noon." I heard her say quietly.

"Why?" I asked.

"In a couple of hours the sandworms will start coming out, but we should make it to Lanoth before then."

"Ah."

It was less than two hours later that we reached the high cliffs.

From the vantage point of the tunnel exit, these cliffs seemed very small, but once we were right under them they towered over us like giant sentinels guarding something of great importance. But even they could not banish the harsh light of the glaring suns.

"This way," Kestrel said, leading us to a two-feel-wide gap in the cliffside, and a shaded trail mashed between two steep rocky walls going upwards on a moderate slope, and curving to the right.

Kestrel again took the lead and everyone including myself followed her single file through the gap.

The trail suddenly widened, ending at a low arch, spanning the rock walls.

Everyone but Kestrel gasped at the sight that met us.

Past the arch, and down a grassy hill was a lush forest.

Trees as tall as buildings surrounding a wide crystal clear lake that lay in the center of the valley, taking up a large area of the land in front of us. Reaching into lake were four rivers each flowing in from the four corners of the valley, sliding down the side of the valley and passing through vast grassy fields, that peppering the entire area.

To our immediate left was a small city with adobe and wood buildings clinging to the side of the cliffs, and stretching a little ways down the side of the valley. One of the rivers flowed straight through it and sported a few boats.

"Come," Kestrel said, motioning for us to follow her again.

We traipsed down the hill and entered the city, where it was bustling with life. Gold eyes and blue-haired people were everywhere, and mixed in were a few blondes. The blondes, I guessed, must have been the plants.

"Kestrel!" A woman's voice suddenly called out.

I turned my head towards the source of the voice and saw two blue-haired women approach.

"Aria! Legacy!" Kestrel cried out, and ran to meet the two Lanothian women halfway.

"Kestrel's family." Vash commented quietly.

Kestrel quickly led the two women over, "Guys, this is my sister, Aria," she said pointing to the taller women, and then pointed to the shorter woman, "And this is my cousin Legacy."

"Aria, Legacy, this is Vash. His brother Knives. Meryl Stryfe. Milly Thompson. Nicholas Wolfwood. And Shane. They've been travelling with me for a while now."

"Hello there!" Said Aria, with a smile.

Legacy on the other hand gave each of us a once over then narrowed her eyes suspiciously, then finally tilted her head in greeting.

"Don't mind her, she's just overly suspicious." Aria said with a grin.

Legacy coughed then gave her cousin dirty look, "I am _not_."

"Yeah, well anyway welcome to Lanoth." Aria said, smiling and hugging her cousin around her shoulders, "We're happy to meet you."

"How is Papa?" Kestrel asked.

"He got the cast off last week, and he's back to work already."

Kestrel shook her head, then laughed, "Jeez,"

"Say," Vash broke in, "Do you have a bar?"

"That way," Legacy pointed down the street.

"Sweet!"

"C'mon, we'll show you the way." Aria said with a grin, "then Kes' can tell us what's happened since she left."

OK, Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I'm REALLY SORRY, this is late. But I swear this chapter was a friggen bear. I wasn't satisfied with the first draft of it... nor the second, nor the third, nor the fourth, nor the fifth... OO Yeah, so finally I settled with the sixth. I was so frustrated with this chapter my writer's block came back momentarily.

Oi.

But finally it's here. And I'm positively POOPED. Even writing out those reviewer responses took the last of my energy.

I don't really know when my next chapter will come out. So give me some good reviews folks, that way I'll recover quicker!

Oh and I would have updated yesterday but I really hate Sundays for updating, it has got to be the slowest day of them all. Because after I update I check my e-mail constantly(much to the annoyance of my brother when he's using the net) and when I don't get anything at all I start pulling my hair out, and pacing about the house(again much to the annoyance of my bro).

Oh, and if you want an update of what's going on with the current chapter being written check my LiveJournal. If you dare. There's a lot of nonsense that I put down. So it might take a bit to sift through the garbage. :)

Oh yes, I'm going to start updating my profile a little piece at a time. Just to let you know... to anyone really reads it.

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KeNsHiNs GuRL: Indeed. Many surprises will meet our most evil antagonist, and Knives wouldn't think twice. Nope. Oh, sorry this is late, please don't hurt me.

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Rosebud: Oi, I wasn't happy with the description I gave of Lanoth I think that I could do better, but jeez, I spent like four hours over that one little thing trying to figure out just how to write it. hehe. I can't wait to write that chapter. That's going to be fun. Ah, as for Legato, A few of them might remember him, mostly just the family though and close friends. Legato left Lanoth with is mother, to visit someone in July and Knives met Legato just after the July incident , Legato attracted Knives' attention because he was calling out for his parents with telepathy. I think that was all in the chapters when they first met Kestrel, chapter 8 I think but I cant really remember myself.

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Chibi Chibi: Yeah it was Knives, and he might be mad, at both Seldokas and Kestrel, heh. And sorry this was late. X(

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Yma: Yeah it is. Well all I can say is I hope it'll be good.

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Otaku Sarri: Yeah, I'm firm believer too. XD And I will keep my eye out for your story. I'm always looking for a good read. :)

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Neptune Butterfly: Mmmm, nachos. Thank you I would love some! (Munch munch) You poor girl. An all girl dorm. Hmm, Well (Munch munch) I gueth ih woul be petty bah ih you hah (gulp) if you had bad smells, and garbage monsters. eww. (Munch munch) Ahn ta fuff dafithency ih petty bah too. (gulp) But don't worry these to will have a lot of time to get over it. Ahhh, good nachos.

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Lord Hustino: He will get to it... slowly. hehe. Get them drunk? Say Diablo... have been talking to Thorn? Because she said the exact same thing. Yah, we need some K/K don't we? I've got some idea's for a few awkward moments between the two but I don't know If I'll get to use any of them. The story is getting close to it's end. 'Nova' is getting close anyway. The story of K and K will continue in a sequel.

And say, my Lord, did you just recently have a birthday? Because I was just sitting in front of my computer the other day and your Xanga was up on the internet browser and I noticed that your thing said that your birthday was 5/2/year(Can't remember what the year was.) The thing is I always get the month and the day positions confused. So you either had a birthday in Feb. or May. Well whatever the case... happy birthday. hehe.

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Desmonia: Eh heh. I am sorry it was short, blame it on evil writer's block. I wanted this chapter to be longer but I think I ended it in a good place. This chapter was especially evil when trying to write it. Wait... I have a form of genius? .................... When did that happen?


	31. Chapter 30: Drinking Games

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Thorn: Ok, the previous disclaimers were incredibly idiotic. I'm glad it died of a conniption. Well I'll be serious, Title of chapter and character Legacy are courtesy of LegacyRBluesummers my beta.

And if Rose owned Trigun do you think that she'd be here?

Rose: Well actually I probably would be--.

Thorn: Shatup that's not the point. The point is that Rose doesn't own Trigun.

Rose: But I wise I did.

Thorn: Be quiet you. Go write the Reviewer responses.

Rose: Oh, alright... bossy &!#.

Thorn: What did you say?

Rose: Positively absolutely nothing whatsoever.

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Nova

Chapter 30: Drinking Games

"... and here we are." I was sitting at a small table in the center of the bar with my sister and cousin, and I had just finished a long and detailed recount of my time away from Lanoth.

My other travel companions were off at other parts of the bar, Vash, and Wolfwood drinking to their hearts content, Meryl trying as hard as she could to slow them down if not stop them, Milly was laughing at the sight. Knives was off in a corner booth sipping a non-alcoholic drink and not hiding his look of distaste for the humans around him, despite there being many plants in the bar at the same time.

I found it strange that he had not approached any of them the whole time we where here. Maybe they were speaking telepathically. As for Shane, he had left early on to go speak with the Lanothian Governing Council.

I took a sip from my drink and smiled at Vash and Wolfwood's antics as they paraded around on top of a table singing a horribly out of tune drinking song. Meryl was sitting limply in her chair but smiling all the same. Milly was clapping and cheering them on.

Aria laughed, "That's quite a bunch you brought with you."

"Yeah, like something a cat would drag in." Legacy commented, "They look like trouble."

"Aw, come on, Legacy, they're not all that bad." I said with a smile, "Really."

"If you say so, Cuz'. But bringing outsiders here isn't something you should do lightly."

"Don't worry Legacy." Aria said, "I do agree with Legacy and Kes' you obviously trust them, but I'm going to ask George Michael to keep an eye on them."

I blinked in confusion, "Why George Michael?"

"Oh, he's been promoted. He's now the head of the LSF."

George Michael was a friend of ours, who, when I had left was only an advisor to the Lanothian Security Force. Now he was the head. That meant he was in charge of maintaining the security force of Lanoth.

"Ah." I looked down into my cup, "Well, alright. But I'm more worried about the Saskanocs. Just tell him, that if they encounter a Saskanoc, to not use their force shields. This whole place will be nothing but a wasteland if it's used around them."

Aria nodded, and stood, "I should go now before George Michael leaves work. I'll see you two later, and I'll pick up your friend... Shane right?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Okay then, bye."

"See ya."

"Later."

Aria picked up her bag and waved as she left through the double doors.

Just after she had gone a plant male came through the double doors. When he saw Legacy he waved happily.

"Oh, great." Legacy sighed.

"Isn't that Bobby Demmis?" I asked.

"Unfortunately."

Bobby came up to our table and sat in the chair that Aria had just vacated.

"Demmis, you little stalker, how many time have I got to tell you to leave me alone before it gets through that blond head of yours?" Legacy growled.

Bobby leaned on the table and sighed with a smile, "When you go out with me."

"I am not going out with you. I don't even like you!"

Bobby put on a face of faked hurt, "Aw, c'mon Legs--"

"Don't call me that."

"--I just want a single date. I mean there's no commitment at all afterward. Just one date? Please?" Bobby put his hand together like he was praying.

"No."

"Please? Please?"

"I said no."

"But--"

"Do you even understand the word 'no'? Is in some miniscule way part of your vocabulary?"

"I--"

"I said-- NO!" Legacy thrust her hand out, and thanks to Legacy's telekinesis, he suddenly went flying backwards, and out the double doors.

I saw a cloud of dust rise up outside the window and heard the complaints of passerby, and a far off voice say, "I'll see you tomorrow, Legs!"

All this time I'd been laughing at my cousin's plight and it was only getting harder to hold back the giggles.

"Would you stop?" Legacy said, in a disgruntled tone.

Another wave of giggles hit, "Sorry." And another.

Legacy shook her head and looked at me, a dark look in her eyes, "You try being stalked by the weirdest love-crazed plant in all of existence."

"No thanks." I laughed, and leaned back in my seat.

"Didn't think so." Legacy said raising one eyebrow.

"What's wrong with him anyway? He seems nice."

"Are you kidding me? He's a complete freak. Ohh... you should have seen him the other day." She said leaning back in her own seat.

"What happened?"

"He was running down Redvale Road _in his underpants_ screaming about the invasion of the greeny birds." she was grinning in spite of herself.

I burst out laughing, attracting the attention of others in the bar momentarily, "Well at least he's not boring."

"Funny, that's what my pops said." Legacy crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

About an hour later the bartender had reached her last straw concerning Vash and Wolfwood and stopped supplying them with beer. Both of them passed out on the floor in their attempts at getting the bartender to refill their glasses.

The bartender waved us over, "I think it's time you took these two home."

"I agree." Said Meryl shaking her head at the two snoring and drooling men on the floor.

I smiled, "Alright."

We, including myself, Legacy, Knives, Meryl and Milly, managed to wake the two, and get them out the door. Milly supported Wolfwood, and Knives did the same for Vash, as we made ourselves down the virtually empty and darkening street.

A few blocks away, slinking through the shadows cast by the streetlight was the lone figure of the former Doctor Kelis.

Rose: Oh... Look, readers!

Thorn: Ignore them.

Rose: What?

Thorn: Ignore them and go write you next chapter!

Rose: But—

Thorn: Leave.

Rose: You're not the boss of me.

Thorn: (With scary eyes) Wanna bet?

Rose: Leaving.

Thorn: Thank you.

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Reviewer Responses.

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Carri: Right you are. Well.. later. Hehe, isn't he mean?

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KeNsHiNs GuRL: Ooo, drawing. I like to draw too, I'm glad you liked it.

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Chibi Chibi: Hehe, I'm happy for that. I tried to write my 'happy place'. The place were I would feel at ease. Heh, that's one of my tactics when I have writer's block... imagine I'm in my happy place.

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Blu-Chan and Sword boy(TK): Now, now kids, don't fight... Unless you plan an all out sword battle... that would be downright cool... Sea... monkey... ehehehe, now that's really funny! Now every time I write that word I'm going to be thinking ... 'Sea Monkey''Sea Monkey''Sea Monkey' hehehe. As I say to everyone: I hope I can live up to your expectations.

Otaku Sarri: Ahh, (accepts medicine) Thank you, (gulp) AHHH! I'M ALIVE AGAIN! Here is your update!

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Rosebud: No problemo! And don't worry about forgetting. I do it all the time and I'm still all here... I think. As I said to Chibi Chibi I tried to imagine my happy place. Man do I want to be there right now. And yeah, those homes do sound nice. Kinda Albuquerque, New Mexico-ish. I think I need to go back and re-read my whole story. It's so long it's getting harder to remember what happens at the beginning. :)

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Yma: Have you ever seen or read Dune? I wanted to do something like they did in that where people ride the Sandworms. It would have been best with the people of the Hidden City but that's all past now, heh. For the most part anyway. I'm glad you liked it.

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Lord Hustino: Yeah? Oh, about your new fic. It's going to be Zelda right? Well in anticipation of this new fic, I dragged out my ol' Nintendo 64 and have been playing it... with my brother by me side, (embarrassed laugh) I'm a horrible gamer. Almost every time I play against one of the bosses, I freak.

Yep. a sequel. Oh, boy that is going to be one hell of a learning experience too. And yes, there will be much K/K in that. Much.

Well next time I wont be late. If I'm still around and you're still around, that is.

You know I thought that about myself too. Strange...

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BoB6: Well if you're here now, then you know that do talk sometimes. :) I hope you are here, and haven forgotten this. :)

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ali10:Thanks. and I'm sorry about the section dividers. I didn't think they would confuse anyone.

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Neptune Butterfly: A murderous stalker, too. Yeah, it does sound nice. No car? Well, think of it this way... I don't even know how to drive yet. -- I'm so lazy. I read it. But you probably already knew that. Oh! Little Kuro is in the next chapter.


	32. Chapter 31: An Attack

Thorn: She doesn't own diddly-squat!

Nova

Chapter 31: An Attack

Knives

"This is the street." Kestrel said, waving her hand towards a road going right.

The sun had just dipped down below the horizon and was getting darker by the minute. The streets we traveled were quiet and nearly void of life. Only a few humans and/or Plants traversed the paved roads. Quite a contrast compared to the inner city.

The four women and the priest, still out of it, and being supported by Milly, were all ahead of me. I was still dragging Vash along. He completely refused to do anything, merely dragged his feet and let his head loll about as I helped him along. I was on the verge of leaving him on the side of the road.

Kestrel's cousin turned to say something to me, but before she could her eyes widened and she yelled out, "Look out!"

It took me a second to realize that that the woman was shouting at me. Immediately I dropped to the ground dragging Vash along with me.

Just in time for a figure in a white lab coat to go flying over my head.

The figure didn't even hesitate. Having missed me, he rolled to the ground, and lunged straight for Kestrel. She tried to dive out of the way, but the attacker still managed to clip her on the side, knocking her to the ground. Kestrel kicked out at him, getting him in the stomach, then rolled away.

Meryl pulled a couple of her Derringers out, and pointed them at our attacker. He sneered, not fazed, and leapt out at Meryl. Legacy flicked her hand and the man suddenly changed course and flew into a light pole, hitting it with a sickening crack.

Meryl nodded at Legacy, lowering her guns, "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"Is he dead?" Asked Milly, still burdened with the priest leaning on her shoulder.

Kestrel crouched down next to the man's side touching his neck, "No. Unconscious."

"Who the hell is he?" Legacy asked.

Kestrel just shook her head.

"We should probably tie him up before he wakes." Meryl said.

Kestrel jerked her head towards the houses on the other side of the street, "We have some ropes at home."

"How are we going to get him there?" Meryl asked, nudging the attacker's leg with the tip of her shoe.

"No problem." Legacy put out her hand, palm parallel with the ground, and brought it up slowly. The man's body responded by lifting up two feet off the ground and floated in position.

"Lets go then." Legacy said.

I hauled the still inebriated Vash up and dragged him after the others.

When we finally reached Kestrel's home, we were greeted at the door by her father, Marcus Bluesummers.

He was rather tall, a little on the chubby side, and had streaks of white in his blue hair along his temples. The lines in his face showed someone who smiled a lot. And indeed his did smile. A lot. Too much if you asked me. He greeted everyone with a hug or a pat on the back.

And for some reason he seemed to find the state of my brother and the priest hilarious.

He directed Milly and myself to place them on a big gray couch where they were lolled out, asleep.

The four women and Kestrel's father were surrounded our attacker, who was tied to a chair still unconscious, and talked among themselves.

I moved away from them and occupied myself in examining Kestrel's home. It seemed much larger inside than it was outside, the ceiling was high, and much of the furniture was fairly short, that was probably the cause of it seeming larger.

I saw a kitchen to the left and a stairway off to the left that went up into a dark upper floor.

I soon found myself standing off to one side next to cardboard box, which held a sleeping mother cat surrounded by a litter of four kittens. One of the kittens woke and looked up at me, yawned then promptly went back to sleep.

I sighed and went back to the couch pushing Vash over a little so I could sit.

The women and Kestrel's father were still talking,

Kestrel

"--what I want to know is why he attacked. Who is he? Where did he come from?" Meryl was saying.

"Maybe he works for Seldokas." Milly said breathlessly.

"Yeah, that seems to be the only viable possibility." I muttered.

"Seldokas?" asked Marcus.

"The lizard guy I was telling you about a few minutes ago, Papa." I said patiently.

"Oh, yes."

"He sounds like a real creep." Legacy commented.

"I think he's far worse." Meryl snorted.

"Anyway, we won't get any answers till he wakes. Until then--" Kestrel was interrupted by the front door opening.

Aria entered, followed closely by Shane, "Really?" She was saying, "Wow, that sounds like fun!"

"It is." Shane grinned, "The ones on the high 'falls are the best."

Aria noticed us then smiled, "Hello everyone."

"You're home. Good." Marcus said happily.

"Yeah. Oh! Dad this is Shane," she then explained where he was from. Shane shook Marcus' hand, "A pleasure to meet you, Sir."

"Eh heh, the same here! Call me Marc or Marcus!"

Shane laughed lightly, "OK."

Aria pointed to the man tied to the chair, "Who...?"

"He attacked us as we were getting home." Legacy said, "We have no idea who he is. Or where he's from."

"Attacked?" Aria raised her eyebrows.

"I know who it is." Shane said suddenly.

"You do?" Marcus blinked, "Well, son, spit it out."

"I wasn't certain at first. But I'm sure of it now. It's Doctor Kelis. From the Hidden City."

"He's from your city? Why in the hell did he attack?"

Shane shook his head, "I don't know. This doesn't make any sense. I saw him just that day before we left, and I don't think he'd ever met the others."

"Oh!" Milly abruptly cried out, "He's waking!"

Meryl

We were surrounding 'Doctor Kelis' as Shane had called him. His eyes fluttered for second, then closed. Suddenly he jumped, his eyes opening wide. His face went pale and he looked around, his face a picture of utter shock.

"Doc?" Shane asked hesitantly.

The doctor looked up at Shane, confused.

"Shane?" Without warning he just began sobbing, "I'm-- I'm so sorry."

"Doctor, what happened? Why did you attack these folks?"

"I couldn't control anything. I watched myself do these things. I saw his intent. Heard his thoughts. But I couldn't stop... I couldn't stop."

"Who? Who's intent?" I asked.

He looked up at me, his eyes wide, tears streaming out, "Seldokas."

Aria

"What do you make of it?" I said to Father.

It was much later; Kes had put the doctor into a sleep, just in case Seldokas managed to regain control. And then everyone had headed off to bed. Kestrel to her room and her friends to the guest rooms, and Legacy had gone home. Father and I were sitting at the kitchen table.

"I have no idea. We should probably call Marian. She's always good with things like this." Dad said, sipping on a glass of water.

"It's to late right now. Anyway," I said, "she's coming over tomorrow to speak with Kes'."

"Oh, she is? Good. Well, I'm off to bed now, pumpkin." He stood and placed his glass in the sink.

"'Night." I said.

ACCKKK!, I'm really really sorry for the delay. I have no excuse... well I do but it would take to long to list all of 'em.

So. I kinda thought this chapter was a lame foot. It took so long to write that I'm not to sure of it's quality.

Oh well...

Reviewer Responses...

Ok well, I... did want to write up some reviewer responses but I also wanted to get this chapter out ASAP.

So I humbly thank all the beautiful people who reviewed...

Rosebud

El Hustino

Neptune Butterfly

Desmonia

Chibi Chibi

Shadow's Assassin

KeNsHiNs GuRL

Blu

Sepik

Whitewolf7187

Piolot-Trowa-Barton

Shadowneko003

Thank you all!

Oh. And I have no idea when I can get the next chapter out so please be patient with me. :)

I'll try to make it better than this one.


	33. Chapter 32: Meet the Bluesummers

Disclaimer: Back vile CUR! Ye shall not claim I! For I am yon DISCLAIMER!

Thorn: Oh great. Now we have a Pirate Disclaimer...

Disclaimer: Ha HA! HAND OVER YOUR LOOT!

Nova

Chapter 32: Meet the Bluesummers

Vash

I opened my eyes, and immediately regretted it, "Uhg,"

The small window above my bed let in a little light. A little. But it was enough to send pain shooting through my eyeballs, "Ow, ow, ow."

As I lay there rubbing my smarting eyes I suddenly wondered where I was. I definitely didn't remember getting here. Wherever here was. Experimentally I opened my eyes a bit. It wasn't as bad this time. I carefully opened my eyes the rest of the way and got my first glimpse of the room I was in. It was painted a very subdued peach color; there was very little furniture, a desk and a small chest of drawers.

I turned a little and found my self face to face with Meryl. She was fast asleep, the top of her head and nose peaking out from under the covers.

I smiled through my throbbing headache and gently kissed her nose, "Hey,"

She opened her eyes and looked up at me, "Hi."

"Hi." I laughed, "Looks like we didn't need that truck after all."

THWACK "YeeOUCH!" I jumped back and fell off the side of the bed, with a pillow plastered firmly on my face, "Yikes! What was that for?"

She yawned then smiled, "It's too early Vash..."

"Well you didn't have to hit me!"

"Go back to sleep Vash." She rolled over her back facing me.

I rubbed my face, and then attempted to stand. Only to fall back down when a wave of nausea hit me.

I sighed and resigned my self to lying on the wood floor and staring up at the plaster ceiling.

"Meryl?" I asked after a few minutes.

"Hmm?"

"Where are we?"

"Guest room. Kestrel's house." Meryl mumbled.

"Oh."

It took me a few more minutes after that to get a hold on my sense of balance, and get to my feet. I stumbled around the room for a moment till I located a clean change of clothes that someone, probably Meryl, had laid out on a small chair.

Quickly I put them on and then made my way to the bedroom door. I peered out, and caught a whiff of cooked eggs, and laughter emanating from down a small stairway.

I glanced once more back at the sleeping Meryl then quietly closed the door behind me.

The sounds and smells drew me down the stairs, through a living room and into a kitchen. There I found Knives and six blue-haired people, including Kestrel, her sister and cousin. The other three, two men and a woman I didn't recognize. They must have been the rest of the Bluesummers family.

Knives was sitting at the kitchen table having a staring contest with a small kitten who was sitting on the center of the table.

Kestrel, her sister and cousin were at the stove, cooking and chatting among themselves, the other three were sitting on barstools around an island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Oh! Hello. Good morning!" The woman, the first to notice me, said.

The others, except Knives, looked up and all greeted me, Knives just said hello telepathically. He was apparently determined no to lose the starting contest to the little cat.

"Good morning everyone," I said, laughing.

One of the men stood, came over to me, and shook my hand, "Hello, I'm Marcus, Aria and Kestrel's father," he pointed to the other two, "and this is my brother, Julius, and his wife, Anna."

"We're Legacy's parents," said Anna.

"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you all." I grinned.

Suddenly Knives banged his palm against the table and cursed. The little cat stretched almost like it was gloating.

I laughed, "What's the matter with you?" He just glared at me.

Aria broke off from the stove and picked the little cat up, smiling at Knives, "I'm afraid you can't have a staring contest with Kuro and win."

Knives just muttered something incoherent, and crossed his arms.

Aria set the kitten on the floor and he went running into the living room. She looked up at me, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'd love some!" I patted my stomach.

It wasn't long before the others, Meryl, Milly, Wolfwood, and Shane came down as well. After that the kitchen was thriving with life and noise.

Knives looked positively annoyed with the whole thing. After he had quickly eaten his breakfast he retreated to the living room.

"Not very sociable is he." Said Julius.

"He just doesn't like humans all that much." I said.

"He doesn't like humans at all." Kestrel muttered, not looking up from her plate.

Aria

The doorbell rang, breaking off the conversation at the table. "I'll get it." I said, placed my napkin on the table, and slid out of my chair.

I quickly stepped thorough the living room and opened the door. "Marian?" I said the second I saw who was on the other side.

"Hello, Aria. Is Kestrel in?" Marian said with a warm smile.

"Yes. Yes she is. Come in." I stepped out of the way and let her enter.

"Thank you."

"Kes', Marian wants to talk to you." I called into the kitchen.

"Oh. Ok." Kestrel popped out of the kitchen entrance way and greeted Marian with a hug.

"It's nice to see you back, child."

"It's nice to be back."

"Marcus?"

"Yeah?" Marcus leaned back in his chair and peered into the living room his eyebrows up questioningly.

"I need to speak with Kestrel and it might take awhile, may we use your office?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"Thank you."

He nodded.

Marian and Kestrel, headed off down the hall towards Dad's office.

"Who was that?" The guy, Knives, asked suddenly.

"That was Marian. Our governor." I said.

"Oh." He blinked, and suddenly had this distant look in his eyes, ignoring Kuro as he played with a loose piece of his shirt.

I shook my head and went back to the table, not really wanting to reflect on his odd response.

Yay! I update! My bestest friend in the whole world... also know as my beta reader has returned from her road trip! So she was able to finish beta reading it. Again... YAY!

HUGS AND SMOOCHES FOR EVERYONE! For your patience with me! XD.

OH! Shameless plug time! My brother made a really neat Trigun forum.

www .trinut.4t .com

Check it out, I think it could turn into a really cool community! With all your help of course!

NOW FOR THE RESPONSES!

Rosebud: I'm glad you liked it, and Mr. Bluesummers. I don't know why but that's how I wanted to write him for a very long time. :D.

Chibi Chibi: YES! they're everywhere... and I think one of them is in my closet... HEHEHE.

shadoeneko003: Thankee! :D

El Hustino: Is OK. I am understanding completely. :)And it's like you said... when is not having problems! ahaha! My AIM is arborwinter... but you already knew that... stop by anytime!

Neptune Butterfly: Yes... evil computers... I can relate. And happy birthday! even though I'm late in saying it... I'm always late with birthdays...

Pilot-Trowa-Barton: Thank you... I will.

LegacyRBluesummers: -gives you an extra hug and smooch-


	34. Chapter 33: Plans

Pirate Disclaimer: Yon authoress is not in ownership of this thing called Trigun... She only is borrowing the elements to create an enjoyable non-profit fan work. NOW HAND OVER YOUR BOOTY!

Nova

Chapter 33: Plans

-Meryl-

"They've been in there for over three hours." Aria said, staring at her father's office door, "What could they possibly be talking about?"

I just shook my head in reply, "I can only guess your sister is telling the Governor everything that's happened since she's left."

"I guess." Aria leaned back in the couch and sighed.

The others were all scattered about. Vash had gone off to play with some children on down the street. Knives was sitting out on the porch, quietly thinking/contemplating/planning, whatever it was that he did when he was not giving someone a death glare. Milly, Wolfwood and Shane had gone with Legacy, her parents and Marcus to get a tour of the city. I had been sitting in the living room with Aria, for that past hour just getting to know the twin of Legato.

I can't really tell how different she was from her brother, since I had never known him except when he had people pointing guns and Milly and myself. But she seemed quite different. Personality wise anyway. Aria was a manager at the hydro-electric plant. She and a handful of others made sure nothing got out of hand, and no problems or bugs in the system went unfixed.

Her similarity to him in appearance was actually a little shocking. The shape of her face and eyes was right on. Her hair _was_ different. She wore it cut just below the ears, and her bangs only went down to her eyebrows.

She gave me a pained smile, "I'm really sorry you all had to get dragged into this mess."

I chuckled, "Well with Vash if it's not one thing it's another."

"Oh? Troublemaker, I take it?"

"You have no idea."

She laughed, "Kestrel is an entirely different matter, and if she could manage it, she always avoided conflict. I'm really surprised she even left Lanoth, she's really a wimp."

My brows knitted together, "Why did she leave in the first place? I would think that with the abilities of you people that she would have been safer here."

"Yeah, that's what Dad, Auntie Anna and Uncle Julius said. But she somehow got it into her head that she was better off as far form Lanoth as possible."

"I wonder why..."

Aria shrugged, "I remember the day she left I asked her the same question, she was really cryptic, said something about someone telling her."

The door the Marcus' office suddenly opened and Kestrel and Marian stepped out.

Silently they entered the living room and took seats on the couch on either side of Aria. Kestrel yawned and rubbed her temples.

"So? What's up?" Aria asked, looking at the both of them.

"Kestrel has relayed everything to me that has happened to her," Marian said in a low voice, "I have to now decide what to do about it."

"You'll be staying for lunch then?"

-------

Marian smiled at Aria, "If it's not too much trouble."

Later that afternoon when everyone had returned to the Bluesummers residence for lunch, we all sat in the living room, listening to Marian speak.

"This situation will become too much of a problem for all of our people if we do not do something now." She said.

"But what is there to do...?" Asked Anna.

Marian let out a slow breath of air, "We have to prevent him from proceeding with his plans."

"How?" asked Wolfwood.

"Kill him, if not incapacitate him."

Vash's eyes widened, "No! No you can't. You can't decide to do that! You can't just decide to kill someone!"

Marian looked up at Vash with tired eyes, "Vash, I have the lives of two million Humans and Plants in my hands. It is my sworn duty to protect them. I can't just let some insane alien to run rampant and attack my people."

"But kill him? You can't do that!"

"Killing him will only be a last resort. If I can't find any other solution." Marian looked down at her hands, "First things first. We will have to do something about him. And when that time comes we will have to have a way to get up to the Fifth Moon."

"Get up to the Fifth Moon?" Milly perked up, "Won't you need a ship?"

"Exactly."

"Where in the world are you going to get a ship?" Knives asked, crossing his arms and leaning into the doorjamb of the kitchen.

"We have a few, but they are damaged. We'll have to fix one of them out of the other spare parts."

"Where are these ships?"

Marian stood, "Follow me."

-Knives-

Marian led us through the streets to a very industrial looking area, and to a squat windowless concrete building.

Entering the building through a steel enforced door and into dark hallways, she led us deep inside the bowls of the building. Finally we reached a small, out of the way stairway that led down into darkness.

Marian pressed a switch on the wall and a pale yellow light illuminated the stairs. And down we went.

It wasn't much longer before the stairs stopped and we entered a pitch black room. I could see a large glass window on the far side of the wall but what was beyond it was also dark.

"Knives?" Marian asked.

"Yes?"

"There's a switch box somewhere over there could you see if you can find it?"

I nodded and felt along the wall till I came across a cold metal box on the wall. I found the switches and pushed them all over into the 'on' position.

A low hum started up and suddenly florescent lights flickered on in the room and out beyond the window.

"Whoa!" I heard the priest say who was looking out the window.

"What are those?" Meryl asked.

I walked up to the window and looked out. There were thousands of small vertical glass tubes, lined up in rows, reaching far back into the cavern-like room beyond. A purple liquid bubbled inside the tubes, making the floor and walls of the room to shimmer.

The tubes were, of course, empty. But there seemed to be a strange sense of life around them. Kind of like what a plant bulb felt like when there was no plant inside, only these were more... human.

I saw Kestrel, out of the corner of my eye, touch the glass window and sigh. I looked at her and saw an odd look in her eye.

"What are they?" I heard Meryl ask in a mystified voice.

"These are the incubation chambers in which Kestrel's people were born." Marian explained, then waved to an adjacent door, "Come, the ships are just a little bit further on."

Finally after four more turns, and three doors, we reached a large hanger bay. Three ships in various stages of disrepair were lied out on the tarmac.

"This is the one in the best condition." Marian said, patting the underbelly of the closest ship, "It shouldn't be much to repair. Just salvage from the other two."

"Well then! Shall we get started?" Asked Marcus.

"Begin as soon as you can." said Marian, "Now I must return to City Hall and speak with the Governing board and my advisors. I have much to consider and plan."

With that she nodded and left with a smile for everyone.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched Kestrel examine the three ships. Yes. Let us get started. I have much planning for the future as well.

-Seldokas-

He silently watched the status of the ships systems.

The situation has changed. He thought to himself, _It is time to change to other tactics._

If he could move he probably would have been clenching his claws and pacing the small room. But all he could do was lie in his life-support chamber and wait.... Wait until his new body was completed.

Over the years the life-support chamber wasn't enough anymore to stop the effects of time, and his body began to slowly atrophy.

The one part of his body that could still move, his jaws, moved up in a forbidding sneer, revealing his sharp teeth.

Oh yes. With my new body... everything will change.

Everything.

-------

Updation! Yay!

Oh wow... 250 review mark! WOW I feel like celebrating! -does jig- -randomly gives everyone hugs-

-Has squeezed everyone till they popped-

Oops...

Responses! Yay!

El Hustino: Yes the truck. -nods- Hehe, I got the idea of the staring contest off my dad who has staring contests with out little kitty. ooo, just thinking about it now is also making me hungry... Oo! look dried figs!

Rosebud: Aha! the Truck and the cat again! Yes those are some very enjoyable moments. I'm afraid Knives isn't going to be doing any 'going to the rescue'... yet. Muwaha.

Neptune Butterfly: Yes the evil twin... there are a lot of those wandering around aren't there? I'm glad you enjoyed the poem... I'm trying to get a WxM one written... but it's coming along slowly. --' Oh well it'll come to me. :D

cobaltblues: Thank you!

Carri: Yes... and update. I was as surprised as you. heheh. MINIONS?! AHHHHHHHHH! Wait... I have minions too... well they're not actually mine... they are beholden to Lord Hustino and Lady Blu... hehehehe... but still... MUWAHAHAHAHA!

legatoskewl: Thank you. It's nice to hear that. I'll try to keep up with the demand, hehe.

Chibi Chibi: gives you a Legato plushie XD

.


	35. CHapter 34: Delivering the letter, and a

Pirate Disclaimer: Zzzzzzzzz.

**Nova**

**Chapter 34: Delivering the letters, and a fight.**

-Kestrel-

After we had been shown the ships I returned home and retrieved the stuffed envelope that Theo Redwinter had given me. It was time to deliver it.

It wasn't hard to find Harrison Redwinter's address. All I had to do was look in the residence directory and there it was. Redwinter, Harrison E.

And it didn't take me much longer to locate the street and house. The house sat at the end of Penelope Lane under the shadow of a huge willow tree.

Slowly I walked up the cobblestone step, knocked lightly on the door, stepped back and waited.

I heard a lock on the other side being unlocked and then the door opened. A middle-aged man peered out, "May I help you?"

"Are you... Harrison Edison Redwinter?"

"I am. May I ask who you are?"

"My name is Kestrel Bluesummers. You see... your father asked me to deliver these letters." I held the envelope up and out to him.

He didn't take it but smiled, "Young lady, you must have the wrong house. My father has been dead for years."

"He didn't die, he gave me this less than a week ago."

"If this is some sort of cruel joke--"

"No! No it's not a joke. Please... hear me out."

He stared at me for a few seconds, considering it.

"Please." I said. "I assure you, I am telling you the truth. He just gave me this."

"Very well. But if I find out that this is a farce--"

"You wont. Because it's not." I insisted.

He grunted and backed up to let me inside. He closed the door and waved to some chairs in the living room.

I sat down and waited till he sat down to hand him the envelope. He took it, opened it and pulled out one of the many letters.

His eyes scanned the letter and in doing so his eyes widened, "I can recognize my father's handwriting anywhere." He looked at me wonder in his eyes, "Where did you get this?"

"I told you. Theo gave it to me."

"But... how. The expedition--"

"He survived." I whispered.

"The blood that they found…"

Quickly I explained to him about the Hidden City and their problems with people who wanted to steal from them.

The edges of Harrison's eyes rimmed with tears as he listened, and his mouth opened and closed soundlessly, until finally he managed, "Why didn't he return?"

I looked down at my hands, "I'm sure everything is explained in the letters. But I think... that he was afraid to face you."

Harrison laughed disbelievingly, "What? Why... why would he be afraid of his own son?"

"You two had a big argument, right?"

"Yes. It was... it was something stupid. I can't even remember what it was about."

"I think that he thought that if he returned that he would only make things worse between you two. He probably thought it best just to let you live your life. And that you didn't need him."

"Didn't need him? No... I needed, we needed him. My sister didn't have her father to walk her down the aisle when she got married. He wasn't there for my marriage. He wasn't there to help me when my first son was born. "

Harrison stared down at the envelope, "I was a stupid young man. I let things get out of hand. I didn't see... I couldn't see... the truth in my father's words. I know now that he was only doing what he thought best for my sister and me.

"After everyone thought he had died. I knew. I knew I had made a mistake not talking to him before he had left. But it was too late. Mother broke down. She couldn't take it."

"I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be. I want to thank you. For giving me this." He looked into my eyes hopefully, "Tell me... is he... is he still alive?"

"I don't know. Before we left he said something about feeling that his time here was coming to an end. He may still be alive... but I'm not certain."

"If I hurry I may be able to... see him again."

I smiled, "I'm sure he would love that."

----------------

Before I left I'd gave Harrison directions to the Hidden City. He seemed so happy that he would be seeing his father again. I just hoped that Theo hadn't passed on yet.

Finally I had accomplished my promise to Theo. And somehow I felt... lighter. I let out a sigh, stared up at the sky and headed back to the hanger bay where everyone would probably be still working on the ships.

I yawned as I entered the hanger bay, and noticed that the place was devoid of life.

Except for Knives.

I glanced at him about to ask where the others were when I noticed his face.

He was staring up out of the hanger bay door, with an odd look in his eye, like he had something weighing heavily on his mind.

I don't know what made do it... but I suddenly wanted to make that look go away. I wanted to comfort him. Slowly I approached him, but he didn't even notice me till I lightly touched his shoulder.

"What?" He snapped.

I took most my composure to keep from stuttering, "Oh. Um... you just looked like something was bothering you. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do--"

"Bothering me?" He sneered, "_Nothing_ bothers me, woman."

"I just thought--"

"Well you thought wrong. Even if I was bothered by something I wouldn't look for help from one of your kind."

"Well excuse me." I said, "I've just never seen you look even slightly happy--"

"Why should you care?"

"Why _shouldn't_ I?" I retorted.

He didn't answer that. "The only thing that will make me happy is the day that the human race is gone. You and your entire race are a disease! And the sooner the disease that is humanity is eradicated _then_ I will be happy." he snarled.

"We aren't a disease--" I started defensively.

"Yes. You are. A parasitic disease to be more precise."

"Oh really? Where do you get your information, huh? From what I understand you've spent most of your god dammed life secluded from most everyone! How can you _know_ us?"

"I learned all I needed to know the first year of my life."

"And what? You based everything you now about humans from... five people? Do you now how stupid that sounds! There are what... a good seven billion people on this planet? Five people can hardly represent and entire species. Hardly."

"There are also the history records. Five world wars! The last of which destroyed half the planet. A complete utter disregard for the welfare of the planet. You sucked it dry then when there was nothing left you set out to find a new world to infest! I couldn't just sit and let another hapless world get ravaged."

"What made you think that we hadn't learned from our mistakes?"

"Learned?" He barked out a laugh, "Oh that's just ripe! You humans never learn! All the signs were there when you planets ecosystem began to fall apart but did you see it and learn? No! You just kept squeezing and squeezing till nothing was left."

"We aren't like that anymore! Look at Lanoth! It's a thriving with life! We care for it. We sustain it."

"That obviously has nothing to do with you humans. It's my people who must have done all that!"

"That's not-- "I stamped my foot, "You just wont listen will you? You're so set in your ways. You stubborn, pigheaded--"

Suddenly his hand lashed out and he slapped me. I stumbled back, shocked. I stared into his fierce eyes as he spoke, "Never speak to me like that. Ever. Don't ever think that you will know more than me. Because you don't. And you wont. I will destroy every one of your pathetic race. Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. I don't care about you or your stupid people. I only want my people to be free. Now leave me alone."

I didn't reply I just tuned and ran out of there as fast as I could, nearly running into Legacy as I did so.

-Knives-

I continued to stare at her as she ran out, brushing past her cousin.

Her cousin watched her go then turned to look at me, a sharp look in her eye. She set the bag she was carrying on the ground and stalked towards me.

"What was that?" She demanded.

"It's nothing to concern yourself with." I said dismissively.

"It's everything to concern myself with if she's crying!" The woman clenched her fists.

"You--" I started.

"What the hell did you say to her?" She interrupted.

"Just stay out of it." I snapped. I had already had enough, without having to deal with Kestrel's cousin.

I suddenly found myself up against the side of the ship five feels off the ground. I felt a strong pressure against my chest. Legacy had her hand out, palm facing me, an angry look on her face.

"If you hurt her you bastard--"

"Release me human!" I ordered her.

"She'd better be alright or I will personally make sure you never have children!" She threatened.

"You do anything to me and I'll kill you! Release me!"

She flicked her hand back and let it drop to her side. I immediately fell to the ground.

I pushed myself to my feet and stared down at her, but she didn't seem intimidated at all. She merely glared menacingly up at me, "If you hurt her, in any way, I will not hesitate to hurt you back." She strode away, and then stopped and turned to me, "I'll deal with you later."

I adjusted my shoulder and said nothing. She grabbed her other cousin, Aria, by the arm as she was coming in, "C'mon we've got to find Kes'."

"Did something happen?"

"I'll explain on the way."

--------------

-Kestrel-

I leaned against the tree and watched the sun make its slow descent towards the far off Red Mountains. I closed my eyes as a breeze of warm wind brushed the grass below me, swayed the branches of the tree and caressed my face.

I clutched my knees tighter and let the ache in my heart out, tears flowing freely.

I was a fool. I was a fool to ever think that he would ever see me as something more than a... a disease. Why did I even let myself hope...? I knew from the beginning that I would get hurt. I knew that I what I was getting myself into. Why did I let myself fall for him...?

I opened my eyes and stared out into the orange sky. What was I supposed to do? I felt drawn to him from the very moment I met him. Those shadowed blue eyes.

The sound of someone approaching from behind broke me from my thoughts.

I looked back and saw Aria and Legacy.

"Is something the matter?" I asked.

"You tell us," said Aria as she and Legacy sat down on either side of me.

I looked down at my arms clutching my legs close. I loosened my hold and stretched my legs out. "Nothing."

"You ran out with tears in your eyes, it's most definitely not nothing." Legacy snorted.

I sighed and whispered, "It's nothing. Really. I just made a mistake... that's all."

"I take it that this mistake... is Knives?" asked Aria.

I nodded closing my eyes again.

"You love that boy." Legacy said with surprise in her voice, "Don't you?"

Again I nodded, saying nothing. I didn't know what _to_ say.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Legacy giving Aria a look that asked something.

"Does he know? Have you told him how you feel?" Asked Aria.

"No."

"Why not?" Legacy prompted.

I clenched my fists tight digging my nails into my palms, "I-- I couldn't. I was... afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Asked Aria.

Legacy answered for me in a soft voice, "Rejection."

I choked as I started crying again. Aria wrapped her arm around my shoulder and held me close, making soft shushing noises like a mother would, "It's alright."

"Yeah," said Legacy who leaned on my other shoulder, "Don't worry. We're here. We'll always be here."

****

**---------------**

****

**Carri:** 5 cans! Oh my. You have gone over the top. Hehehe, luckily for me I have updated SOON! So no undead minions today! awwww, I like undead minions.

**El Hustino:** The truck was a possibility... but due to the fact the oil hadn't been changed in A YEAR(I blame the minions) we had to go with the ships... sad I know. As for sanitary... no, I don't thnik it would be... ANYWAY, on to ther things...

**Rosebud:** Why thank you! Your feelings serve you well! We are on the brink... of something I hope will be a great ending. As always I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

**Neptune Butterfly:** Hehe, I'd like to see Kuroneko take him on! That would be cool! It's okay that you review late. I don't mind at all. Aww. THE SUFFERING ONE MUST ENDURE! -MANY HUGS-


	36. Chapter 35: Six Months Later

Disclaimer: What more is there to say?

**Nova **

**Chapter 35: Six Months Later.**

-Meryl-

It was six months later, and we were almost done with the ship.

I looked up from the plating I was fastening onto the belly of the hull, and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

A lot had happened in the past six months. Milly's stomach had gradually grown bigger, and not long after we had begun work on the ship did she have to give up working and just sit back and watch the progress.

She and Nicholas had also tied the knot. They had their wedding right next to Zeus Lake in the center of the valley.

She had worn a simple teal-green dress that, even with the bulge of her stomach, made her look absolutely beautiful. Her hair had been tied back in a loose braid with little white flowers braided into it. Nicholas had been so speechless that Vash, his best man, had to poke him in the back to get him to say his vows.

I had been the one to catch the bouquet when Milly threw it, and when Vash and I had made eye contact we both had blushed. I smiled at the memory.

While at the Bluesummers place, where we all had taken residence, Milly did few things with all the time she had on her hands, she slept, ate, read, and poor Nicholas suffered through her mood swings, which were an incredible sight to behold.

She also played chess... with Knives. Apparently one day he was bored and challenged her to a game. The first time he played her, he lost. The look on his face when Milly said, "checkmate" was priceless. I wish I'd had a camera.

After that they played every other day. Knives always lost of course, he seemed to be more and more perturbed with every loss. Also with these game either Nicholas or I would sit in with Milly. Neither of us trusted him.

Surprisingly enough he was a perfect gentleman, even after each loss. This worried me even more than if he had gotten irate.

Another thing I noticed was that Knives and Kestrel had been keeping their distance from each other. What little contact they'd had with each other had completely diminished.

Aria had mentioned something about a fight but I didn't get the specifics of it. That obviously didn't stop them from looking at each other.

It wasn't long after we had begun work on the ship, that I noticed the glances. The three of us were outside the ship tearing out part of the hull. She was on one side and he on the other, I was in the middle. I never saw them make eye contact, but the amount of looking that they did made up for it.

Kestrels glances were, well... glances, lasting only a couple seconds or so, Knives' glances were longer; the look in his eye was one of intense study... and planning.

I tried to speak to Vash about it, but he was so overjoyed that his brother was interacting with Milly, and seemed to be getting "better" as he said, that he didn't listen to my words.

I sighed, and shook my head. Whatever it was that was going on in that psychotic head of his I knew it was going to cause trouble. I just knew it.

And poor Kestrel, she looked like a lost soul, and seemed to be searching for an answer in Knives.

Standing, I stretched then ducked under the raised hull of the ship to get to the other side. Milly, the only other person outside the ships, was sitting in a chair reading a book not far away.

"I can't believe we're almost done." I said to her, "It seems like no time at all has passed."

"I know. And when it is done…" Milly let the thought go unfinished.

"Our boys will be getting back into trouble." I said, quietly.

"Oh Meryl." Milly looked down at her belly and put her hand on it, "What if something happens to them up there? What if… what if I lose Nicholas again?"

"Don't worry Milly. They're a resilient bunch. And I don't think that _thing_ up on the Fifth Moon is going to be prepared for them."

She giggled, "You're right."

"What I can't believe is that Vash isn't going to let me come along." I growled. After an argument over it I had finally conceded to staying here. Vash absolutely refused to allow me to go along.

"Oh, he's just concerned for your safety." Milly smiled.

I sat down in the chair next to her and went limp, "I know."

The door that led to the rest of the building opened, and Shane stepped in. He waved, and walked towards us.

"Hello, Shane." I said.

"Hi, I was wondering if Aria was around?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. Last I saw her she was in the cockpit of the ship, " I jerked my thumb in the direction of the nearly completed ship.

"Ah, thanks. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm heading back home with Dr. Kelis."

"Heading home?"

"Yeah. I wish I could stay and help, but Dr. Kelis need to be back home and I have my little sister to take care of."

"Oh. Well I hope we see you again."

"Me too." He smiled once more then left to find Aria.

"I wonder why he need to see Aria?" I said mostly to myself.

"Haven't you noticed, Meryl?" Asked Milly, a little surprised.

"Noticed what?"

"Aria and Shane. They're together."

I looked at her, shocked, "Really? I had no idea. Then again, you were always better at noticing the little details." I laughed.

She giggled, the stopped short and her eyes widened.

I looked at her worried, "Milly? Is something wrong?"

"Meryl! It's time!" She cried, clutching her stomach.

"What?! The babies?"

"Yes!"

"Oh god. Vash! Nicholas! Come quick!" I yelled out.

-Wolfwood-

"Well?" I demanded.

"Well what?" Vash tried to say in an innocent voice.

Vash and I were in the engine room of the ship piecing together a workable engine. I was currently interrogating Vash about his relationship with Meryl.

"Well are you going to asker her or not?!" I cried, "Jeez, how dense can you be?"

"I am not dense." Vash said defensively.

"Don't change the subject. Are you or are you not going to ask Meryl to marry you?"

"I don't know. I got the ring… but I just keep--"

"Hesitating." I supplied.

"Well… yeah."

"The more you hesitate the more time you lose in looking for a tuxedo." I said pertly.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny."

"Now you're just being--" I started when suddenly I heard Meryl yelling for us.

We gave each other a split second glance before shooting out of there faster than Vash's bullets.

We got to where Meryl was and saw her supporting Milly who had a pained look on her face and was holding onto her belly.

"The babies!" I cried.

"Well don't just stand there, idiot!" Meryl yelled, "Help me get her to a Healer!"

"Right!" I got on the other side of Milly and swept her right up into my arms, "It's alright, Big Girl. I got you now."

Vash came along with me opening the doors as we went, Meryl had to stop and explain to the others, who had been attracted by the commotion, what was going on.

I kissed Milly's forehead, and smiled, as she began her breathing exercises.

-End chapter- (Stupid FFN. Keeps taking away my seperators)

Sorry… no Reviewer Responses today.

I'm not feeling very well…


	37. Chapter 36: Birth

Disclaimer:

**Nova**

**Chapter 36: Birth.**

(Wolfwood)

I don't how long it had been. A few hours I guess. I'd lost track of time, as I sat there, in the Healer's birthing room, holding Milly's hand.

With the help of the Healer she was having a calm birth, with very little pain. Her breathing was deep and long. Despite Milly's labor coming along smoothly, she still had a long way to go.

The Healer, a middle-aged human, held both of her palms over Milly's belly. Her eyes were half-closed and she seemed to sway a bit. The Healer's assistant, a young plant woman, Kat, stood next to her ready to help when needed.

I squeezed Milly's hand reassuringly as another contraction hit her. Her hand clenched tightly as it tore through her.

A light glow emanated from the Healers hands as she circled them around Milly's stomach. At this Kat moved down the bed to stand at the very end between Milly's open legs.

"Milly." The healer said, "With the next contraction... I need you to push. As hard as you can for ten seconds. Can you do that for me?" The healer smiled kindly.

Milly nodded, smiling back as best she could.

"Here it comes--" the Healer stated.

Through the next few contractions I held onto her hand saying encouraging words, holding her hand with one of my own and running my fingers through her hair with the other.

A lifetime seemed to pass for us. Everything... moved so slowly. I seemed to have forgotten how to breathe even though I spoke to her through every contraction. I stopped paying attention to the Healer and her assistant... and focused every fiber of my being on Milly.

And finally... it was over.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wolfwood? Let me introduce you to your children." The healer and her assistant stood on this side of the bed each holding on baby.

The Healer and Kat placed the babies in Milly's arms, one to each arm. Milly stared down at them her eyes brimmed with tears.

I leaned over the three of them and tenderly kissed the children's foreheads and Milly's mouth.

"Congratulations." Kat whispered and she and the Healer left.

(Knives)

The humans and Vash were all packed in the small birthing room gushing over the newborn brats. I really saw nothing interesting about the miniscule humans... one day they were going to get big and add to the human virus.

Kestrel had been one of the first to leave and was now sitting on a bench on the opposite side of the hallway. She was staring off into space.

"New life. It's a wonderful thing isn't it." Kestrel smiled quietly.

"Not human life." I muttered.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. This is _you_ I'm talking to." Kestrel sighed, stood up and turned away, heading towards the door, "I'm going back to the hanger." She called over to her sister and cousin.

They waved as she disappeared into the glare of the suns and out the door.

(Kestrel)

"There is no middle ground with that idiot!" I muttered to myself as I stomped down the lightly populated street, "I don't know why I fell for that man in the first place."

_Nothing but trouble._

I stopped in the shade of an alley to get a break from the searing heat of the suns. I sank to the ground with a sigh.

I'd been feeling very tense since this morning. Seeing Milly and Nicholas so happy from the birth of their children had made me forget it for a bit but now it was back... and much worse. I rubbed my forehead, using my powers to relieve some of the headache.

Standing, I headed further down the alleyway. I'd felt something suddenly... like a mental tug on my mind. It was pulling south towards Zeus Lake.

I figured it was just my sub-conscious telling me I needed to walk to ease the stress that my powers couldn't cure. It wasn't long before I'd left the city streets and had entered the wooded area of Lanoth.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, then letting it out slowly and not surprisingly feeling much better. The forest was quiet but for the soft chirping of the birds and the sound of a far off waterfall.

Walking a little slower than I had been in the city I let myself fall into a slight trance as I trudged closer to the lake.

Almost six months ago after Knives and I had had our fight I'd tried to push him into the back of my mind, but it was so hard as I saw him every day.

I led myself to believe that I was over him. But for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about him. I was even more aware of him now than I was before the fight. I was sure that he had caught my un-subtle looks at him.

I was still trying to figure him out.

Even so I'd grown a cold attitude towards him whenever we briefly 'spoke'. This led my sister to think that I was _truly_ over him... but I think Legacy, the most observant and intuitive of us three, suspected that I really wasn't. I didn't speak to her of anyone else about it though.

I had such mixed feeling about him. Part of my wanted to hate him the other part wanted to love him. The two sides fought for dominance whenever I saw him. Neither side giving in nor giving up.

Even now they still fought... but now... one side was winning. The side that loved him. For some irrational reason I was falling for him again. And the thing that frustrated me the most was that I didn't even know _why._

For about a month I had been trying to figure it out.

I knew that the first thing that had attracted me to him was the physical attraction... but as time had passed it had grown into something more.

A sense of respect had grown.

A need to be there for him. Because he seemed to have this inner turmoil raging inside of him. One night late in the evening I had come down for a glass of water and had seen him out on the back porch. He had been starting up at the stars... a sad, thoughtful, look on his face.

What could make him display such a face... I had never figured out. And he would never come to me with a problem.

I blinked covered my eyes with my hand as I stepped out of the trees and into the sunlight.

Zeus Lake stood before me. The wide surface of the water reaching for almost two iles. The sunlight glinted off the gentle ripples in the lake, making it sparkle like a million diamonds.

I plopped to the ground cross-legged and breathed in the cool air.

All my troubles seemed to be taken away with the soft wind. I could finally relax.

My sense of peace didn't last long. The strange screaming sound of an engine roared overhead slashing through the quiet.

A shadow accompanied the sound along with a ship like nothing I'd ever seen before.

The ship landed on the beach right in front of me.

I scrambled to my feet as a door on the side of the ship opened and two Saskanocs stalked out of the opening. I suddenly felt paralyzed. I could do nothing but stare into the black pools that were the Saskanocs eyes.

"Hillooo, Kisssssstril." One of them hissed.

I gasped and finally found the will to move. I turned to run but suddenly there were two behind me as well.

One grabbed me around the neck cutting off my airflow and ability to scream. It held me against its chest and I felt a sharp object enter my side... Abrupt darkness over took my vision, sending me falling away from everything. And everyone.

(Vash)

(Hours later)

Marcus looked out the window for the hundredth time in an hour, "Why isn't Kes' back? She should be home by now."

The door opened and everyone looked up expectantly. But only Legacy and Aria entered. Without Kestrel, "We checked Lookout Point--" Arai started.

"-- And we went to see her friends in Norris Village... no one has seen her."

"Where could she be?" I asked, "Do you think that she's in trouble?"

"I hope not..." Aria said, "But I tried to contact her by way of telepathy... I haven't been able to make a connection. Either she's asleep... or unconscious."

"I can't take this any more!" Marcus cried, "My baby is out there somewhere... injured and hurting! I know it! I can feel it."

"Dad I'm sure--" Aria began.

"No! I know she in trouble! I'm going to the authorities!"

"I'll go with," I said, "After we let them know about it we can do some more thorough searching! Anyone else?"

Everyone but Milly, Wolfwood and Knives offered to help. Milly was resting from the birth of the twins and Wolfwood wanted to stay with her just in case she needed him. Knives said nothing but after we had left I saw him following us from not far back.

_So maybe he does care what happens to Kestrel._

We reached the Head Quarters of the Lanothian Peace Keepers.

Marcus went in and had a private meeting with the Head Peace Keeper, Not a few second before he went in he and the HPK came out, "It's funny that you should come now..." The HPK said.

"Why?" Asked Marcus.

"A young man and his friends came in earlier spouting a tale about lizards kidnapping a woman." He scratched his head, "I really wasn't sure what to think about it... you know kids... they make up stories."

I exchanged a look with Meryl. Both she and I knowing exactly what had happened now.

"That was no story." Meryl said, "Those 'lizards' as you say are real... those were the Saskanocs."

The HPK blinked in surprise, "Saskanocs?" His face paled, suddenly realizing his mistake, "Oh God."

He and everyone around him became a storm of activity as he ordered the governor called and the security blanket checked for recent intrusions.

I looked around suddenly noticing Knives gone. I popped my head out or the door to the HQ and saw Knives' retreating back. He was in a dead run, quickly disappearing into the night.

Later I found him... working on the ship. He was working at such a feverish pace that he didn't even seem to notice me. And continued to ignore me even when I tried to speak to him.

My thoughts that he might actually care for her were suddenly and made all too clear. He really did care. And right now... this was all he could do to show it.

I left then. But Knives never left... he worked all through the night.

...............

Thanks everyone for reviewing! Sorry if the responses are a little lame... I was pretty tired when I wrote them... But I'm feeling MUCH better now! Thanks for the well wishes!

And I'm REALLY sorry for the lateness of the chapter... I've been having a lot of computer problems... It's now only just the internet but I can use my brother's computer to update.

**RR:**

**El Hustino:** I've never read a fic like that either. Hehe. IT is indeed impossible! Something well written I hope.

**KeNsHiNs GuRL:** yay! XD

**Rosebud:** I find the "easy-going" scene a little hard to write, but I too enjoy them. Vash proposing probably won't happen till the sequel. I'm not really sure... it's an avenue I have yet to flesh out.

**Neptune Butterfly:** Oooo, what an evil band camp! Darn that thing for holding you captive! I shall send in my assorted minions to free you! XD Along with the Kuroneko Squad! Hehehehe.

**Desmonia:** I'm afraid had I actually written that six-month period into the story it would have been even duller. Hehe. It's all right. A review now and then is better than none. XD

**Sakurasango:** Is okay. Thankies, XD, glad to hear you like it!

**Carri:** I will try.

**Cjflutterbye:** Thankies. I tried to make it good. Babies are born! Ship off ground... Next chapter! XD

**Hope-is-4Ever:** Wonderful to have a review from you!


	38. Chapter 37: Goodbyes

**Disclaimer:** Do I really need this?

**Nova**

Chapter 37: Goodbyes 

(Vash)

The hanger bay was a hive of activity. After Marian had been told of Kestrel's she had commissioned a team of specialists to help out on the ship.

In three teams of five they worked almost non-stop, each team taking turns and working in such a fevered pace that the ship was completed in three days.

Knives had neither slept, drank, nor ate anything the whole time, and by the completion of the ship he fell into a coma like sleep for twelve hours. I was in a near panic when he didn't wake up when shaken or spoken to.

But fortunately it was just sleep.

When he woke, Meryl and I were on either side of the cot he lay in, with food Meryl had made, of which he promptly relieved us.

"When do we leave?" Knives demanded when he was finished with the food.

"Our next launch window is in four hours." I said, helping him out of the cot.

"Four hours?" Knives got to his feet and worked the kinks out of his neck, "Lets get ready then."

Knives headed for the ship, but I stopped him, "Aren't you going to thank Meryl for the food?"

He paused for a second then turned to Meryl, "Thanks." And climbed the ladder up into the ship.

I gave Meryl a glance, and she just shrugged, "What'd you expect?"

……………….

(Three Hours Later)

"Hey, the guys and I are almost ready to go. I just wanted to come say… goodbye." I said to Meryl, as I entered out shared room.

Meryl looked up from folding a blanket the look one her face was that of surprise, "What? You say that as if you aren't coming back."

She let the blanket drop to the floor and stepped up right in front of me.

"Uh… well—" I stammered, unsure of how to answer that.

"Vash, I'm going with you." She suddenly stated.

"Huh?" I was caught of guard, "What did you say?"

"I want to go with you."

"No." I said flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because… Because you just can't."

"Well… I'm going with you." Meryl said firmly.

"No. You can't go."

"Why the hell not? Explain it to me Vash." She placed both of her fists on the sides of her waist and glared up at me stubbornly.

"Because Meryl. Seldokas is a nutcase; he's unpredictable and unstable. I have no idea what we're going to come across up there on the Fifth Moon. I can't guarantee my safety… much less yours."

"I can help--" she started.

I cupped her cheeks, not letting her finish, and lifted her face up so I could look her in the eye, "Meryl... I don't want you to get hurt. I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt, or worse... killed."

"I can take care of myself." She whispered.

"I know that. I know that."

"Then why can't I go?"

I sighed and pulled her to my chest, "Because I love you too much to put you in any kind of danger. And Milly... she need a friend here with her while Wolfwood is gone."

"What if... what if you don't come back--"

"Then you'll move on. You'll find a nice guy... and have lots of kids." I chuckled.

She buried her face in my chest, "I want you to be my nice guy... Please let me go with you, Vash. The risks I'm willing to take."

"Well, they're not risks I'm willing to take."

She was silent for a moment, then... "Promise me you'll come back."

I kissed the top of her head, "I promise."

…………….

(Wolfwood)

"I want so badly to stay here with you… but knowing Vash he's probably going to goof up the whole operation if I don't go to keep him in line." I chuckled.

I lay on our bed next to Milly as she fed Michaela and Nicholas Jr. I was saying my goodbyes to her. As much as it hurt to have to leave her and the babies so soon… I had to go. Something told me that if I didn't then Vash would lose his life in some idiotic attempt to save his brother.

Milly laughed, "I know! And you'll do great!" She was trying to smile, but I could see and hear the tinge of pain in her eyes and voice.

"I hate to leave you." I said, "I hate it so much."

"You'll come back." Milly said with a disarming smile, "I know it."

"I know it too."

"And when you get back we—we can raise our children together, and--" Milly sniffed.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and rested my head on hers. "Don't worry. We'll be together forever."

"Forever is a long time,"

"Good."

She laughed, "Yeah."

That sad look in her eye came back. Something more was on her mind.

"What?"

She shook her head, "It's… nothing."

"Milly."

She looked me in the eye, "I don't want to lose you a second time."

"You wont."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it."

She blinked in surprise, "Really?"

"Yeah. I was brought back to life… for some greater purpose then I can think of right now… but I can _feel_ it. Here…" I tapped my temple, "and here." I tapped my chest over my heart.

Milly stared down at the sleeping twins, "I believe you. And… I love you."

"I love you too, _forever._" I kissed her gently and then kissed both of my sleeping children.

I left then, giver her one last peck on the cheek…

…………..

(Vash)

"Are you sure you don't want help?" Marian asked, "Just the three of you going…"

Our extra help that Marian had commissioned to work on the ship was quickly filing out of the hanger bay, our launch window was up in fifteen minutes.

The three of us, Knives, Nick and myself were standing right next to the ship, speaking one last moment with Marian.

"We can't risk anyone else." Nicholas replied.

"Do you at least have a particular plan in mind?"

The three of us traded a look, "Not really." I said, "We have no idea what we are going to find up there… we're just going to be playing it by ear."

"That's a high risk tactic." She commented.

I nodded, "What's life without risks?"

She sighed, "Good luck. But…. If you don't succeed in stopping Seldokas, I have a back up plan."

"You do?" Nicholas asked, a little surprised.

"You saw what Vash's Angel Arm did to the Fifth Moon. Just imagine what three or four could do."

We were all silent, imaging just that.

"No go, your launch window is coming up soon." Marian kissed each of us on the forehead and left the hanger.

We climbed up into the ship, Knives closed the hatch behind us and slid into the right hand pilot seat, I took the left hand seat, and Nick took a seat in the back next to a holograph table.

Knives and Nicholas began going over the systems checklist while I, who had nothing much to do, stared blankly at my console.

I really had no idea, nor could I imagine, what would be up on the Moon. What we would face. If it would be easy, or it would be hard. If we would even come out of it alive, and with Kestrel and the rest of the world safe.

I was leaving Meryl, the only person I had ever let myself truly love after Rem had died.

And Nick… Nick was making a huge sacrifice. Leaving his wife and newborn children… he was making the biggest sacrifice any man could make.

Even though I wasn't as attuned to reading people like Nick was I could still tell he was apprehensive about it. He joked that he was only coming to make sure that I didn't screw anything up… but there was something else… like that annoying sixth sense of his could tell that he would be needed up there.

My thoughts suddenly returned to Meryl.

If I died… I hoped that she would move on. And not beat herself up for not having pressured me into letting her go. I knew that's what she would do…

I just shook my head batting away the dark thoughts; _I will come back to you. _

"Opening hanger bay doors." Knives said, breaking my train of thought.

I grabbed the steering yoke as the engine turbines roared to life and lifted the ship upward, within ten minutes we were passing through the atmosphere and heading for the Fifth Moon.

………….


	39. Chapter 38: Seldokas' Ship

**Disclaimer: **I really don't think I need this....

**Nova**

**Chapter 38: Seldokas' Ship.**

(Vash)

Space. It was so quiet. The blackness of the deep seemed to suck everything out of the three of us. For the four hours of the flight through the void between Gunsmoke and the Moon there was no sound at all but the low hum of the engines.

Knives stared fixated on the moon, blinking automatically. His thoughts light-years away.

Nick had fallen asleep in the back. He didn't even snore. He seemed to be a little depressed; I think he missed Milly and the babies.

As for me... I sat quietly as well, praying to any divine being that would listen that we would all come out safe, and that I would get to see Meryl again.

I examined the Fifth Moon that was nearly looming in our view screen. The large crater on the surface was like a gaping mouth, laughing at me.

A loud buzz woke everyone from their respective trances and naps.

"We've arrived." Knives said to himself.

Knives began hitting sequences of buttons and seemed to be programming something. I couldn't see what because his console monitor was pointed away from me.

"I've just done a scan for materials alien to the Moon." Knives said suddenly and punched a button on his console and a 3D schematic came to life on the Holographic Table in the back.

Knives and I left the pilot seats and joined Nick who was already looking at the schematic. Knives pointed to a yellow area on the pinkish sphere, "This is Seldokas' ship."

The yellow spots were right on the edge of the huge crater, dotted in a straight line, and longer than the radius of the crater.

"It's huge, how in the world could no one have seen it?" Wolfwood commented.

"About 90 percent of it is buried under the surface. The exposed ten percent is peppered here and there."

"How will we ever locate Kestrel in that?" Nicholas voiced the thought that must have been passing through all out heads.

How would we?

.....................

(Knives)

"I have located an opening," I said after about three hours.

Vash and I had put the ship in geo-synchronous orbit with the moon, and I had scoured images of the exposed areas of the larger ship, looking for a viable opening where we could enter.

"Where?" Vash asked leaning over my shoulder.

Wordlessly I pointed to the left-most part of Seldokas' ship, and tapped the view screen.

Vash nodded and went in the back to wake the priest.

I reached out with what psychic powers I had regained control of, and tried to see if I could sense her presence.

Abruptly, and unexpectedly I did feel something, but it wasn't Kestrel.

It was a darker sense. Like nothing I had ever felt before. In my minds eye I saw black flame framing a solitary figure. The figure was not human, nor was it one of the species that Seldokas had come from. It had no specific shape, as it seemed to twist in some non-existent wind.

Suddenly I was being shaken. I looked up and saw Vash's worried face, "Are you alright? You've been staring into space for fifteen minutes."

I shook my head, and asked quietly, "Are we ready?"

"Yeah. But--"

"Then suit up. We're going to have to walk on the surface of the moon to get to our entrance."

"Suit?" I heard the priest whisper to my brother.

...............

The suits in question were old SEEDs space suits. They looked very similar to my old plug suit, only those were made for pilots and these were made for space walking.

Vash and the priest were already suited up and waiting by the airlock. While they had been doing so, I had landed our ship about 100 yarz from the opening that I had located.

I pushed the angular helmet of the spacesuit onto my head and sealed it airtight.

"Lets go." I said over the three-way radio in out helmets.

"Right." One of the other two said, I couldn't really tell who it was.

Soon we were out side the ship and traversing the landscape towards the exposed part of the larger ship. It had looked so small on the view screen of our ship but from down here it was a big opening in the larger ship.

Upon entering the opening it was immediately clear that it was the egress of a hanger bay. There were a few _undamaged_ smaller ships inside, connected to tubes that went further into the humongous ship.

"Get to one of the tubes," I said, "Those will lead us into the ship."

"Are you certain?" Vash asked.

"Very."

We picked a tube and climbed through it, till we reached a circular airlock.

"What now." Vash asked, pointing to the unreadable keypad.

I stared at the keypad; the symbols on the seven buttons glowed dimly. Suddenly I knew the combination. The answer was whispered into my mind by a voice deep in my mind,

I reached out and typed in the combination, and the hatch rolled out of the way.

"How..." I heard Vash say, "How did you know that?"

"I don't know." I said truthfully, and climbed through the hatch. Whoever or whatever had told me, wanted us to be inside.

I didn't let my self think it over. I would have time for that later, now we had more pressing issues. Finding Kestrel.

I pushed a button on this side of the hatch and it closed. The room we were in hissed as it filled with air.

"Is it breathable?" Asked the priest.

"Just a moment." I said as I activated the small atmospheric sensor on the armband of my suit, "Yes. It's just going to be like we're at a high altitude."

"So it's safe to take our helmet off then."

In answer I took off my helmet and took in a breath of the air. Vash and the priest followed suit.

"This way." I said, pointing to a door on the right side of the airlock.

I saw Vash and Wolfwood give each other a glance. They must have been wondering how I knew. _I _didn't even know how all this was coming to me. And it was pissing me off.

I said nothing to the two and proceeded to exit the airlock into a black metal hall. Not a few seconds after the three of us had gone through the door, it rolled closed and only seconds after that a door to the side snapped open and a dozen or so Saskanocs filed into the tight space.

"Shit!" Wolfwood yelled.

"What now." Vash muttered, eyeing the Saskanocs that blocked off the only way out.

"We fight dear brother. We fight." I said.

"Good thing I brought these." The priest said and pulled out three of the pistols that belonged in his Cross Punisher. He threw one to me, and the other to Vash.

Without warning the wall of Saskanocs lunged at us in a blaze of claws and teeth. One slashed out at me only to receive a bullet to its head.

"Knives--"

"Vash! Not now! They aren't--" I ducked to avoid a claw, -even alive. Remember?!-

I didn't hear an answer if he gave one, suddenly I was up in the air being thrown across the hall. As soon as I hit the ground I was up on my feet picking off the surrounding Saskanocs with the pistol.

Before I knew it the single pistol had run out of bullets and I had no means of getting another cartridge. Four Saskanocs had separated me from the other two and were slowly backing me further into the dark ship and further from my brother.

A rumble shook the floor of the hall and without warning a thick door coming down from the ceiling, began a quick decent towards the floor, cutting off the route to Vash and the priest.

I ran towards the door in some failed hope that I could make it through. But by the time I reached the door there was little more than a feel between it and the floor.

I slammed my fists against the cold metal, "Damn it!"

I heard nothing on the other side; the door was far too thick to allow any sounds to pass through.

-Vash- I called out mentally.

-Knives! What happened!-

-We're separated, Vash. I'm going to continue this way.-

-Has it entered your mind that this might have been set up by Seldokas, meant to lead you into a trap?-

-Yes.-

-Then why...?-

I sighed, -Vash it's the only way I _can_ go.-

There was a pause. –Alright. Be safe.-

-You too.-

Turning around, I leaned against the door and sighed, a puff of my breath rising into the air. I was now separated from the others, which meant I would have to try and locate Kestrel on my own. I had only a couple more cartridges for anything hostile that might come my way, plus what little psychic powers I had regained.

Suddenly I felt a tug at my mind. I squinted into the darkness of the hallway. I knew who was behind the tug.

Seldokas.

It was painfully obvious that he was trying to lead me somewhere.

"Well, Seldokas... Looks like I'm playing by your rules now."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and followed the tug.

................

I don't know how long I followed the pull of Seldokas' mind. I lost track of time so easily in these endless halls, twist and turns, odd elevators and staircases.

Finally the pull ended at a cylindrical door.

Hesitating only for a moment I pushed the keypad on the side of the door. The door whisked open and a wave of warm air hit me. The air smelled heavily of blood. Human blood.

Stepping into the room, lit by white panels on the ceiling, I saw hundreds of devices scatted everywhere.

The dried red blood on some of the devices led me to believe that they were torture devices.

Shaking off the sudden chill that rushed through me, I looked around once more only this time I saw... her.

She lay sprawled on the floor, the light blue summer dress that she had been wearing the day of her kidnapping was torn and blood soaked. Her eyes were closed and her face was contorted in pain.

Without thought I sprinted the distance between us and knelt by her side. Gently I lifted her head up and leaned her against my chest.

"Hey." I said quietly.

Her eyes didn't open, but her mouth twisted into a grimace, and her body stiffened.

"Kestrel... Kes? Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open and suddenly she cried out. I shifted her body till she was in my lap, her head rested in the crook of my neck. She was shaking with pain as blood seeped out of deep wounds on every part of her body.

She silently cried, her tears falling down her face in streams. She looked up at me, and tried to speak her mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

I leaned my head down and tried to hear what she was saying.

"I—I know—his—plan—You must—destroy—his--" Kestrel gasped for air, "—body—destroy—the body--"

"Where is it?" I asked whispered hurriedly.

"It's-- " She suddenly gasped and let out a bloodcurdling scream that made the hairs on my arms stand on end and chills run down my spine.

I sensed that she was being attacked psychically, and quickly, I reached out with my mind and with every ounce of mental strength broke the last bonds that Vash had put into place to lock my powers. I threw a wave of psychic energy into the flow of the attackers mind and tore into the connection, severing it.

Kestrel suddenly fell silent and went limp in my arms.

Angrily I lashed out with my mind vehemently searching for Seldokas' mind.

Abruptly I found it but Seldokas was ready. He latched onto my mind and tore into it invading every part of my brain and shoving it into darkness.

.................

Wowness! That was an exhilarating chapter to write! I've already begun the next one... but I'm all burnt out for now. I don't know when I'll get the next one to you all. But it's going to be the last chapter, not including the epilogue.

The last chapter and Epilogue will be posted simultaneously.

I gotta say this had been one hell of a fun story to write! I'd say more, but I'll leave all my end words for after the epilogue. : )

Later my lovies!

**RR:**

**Shadowneko003:** YES! An update! XD

**Hope-is-4ever:** Yes, they better, or else I'm going to have a bunch of people after my head.

**Otaku Sarri:** Indeed! Aww, people miss me? Thanks I'm glad you like it. I'll have to check out your story, when I can get around to it. Ooo! Doughnut! Mmmm, thankie.

**El Hustino:** Yep sorry about that. I didn't even notice that I hadn't written nay until you pointed that out. I was in a rush to put it out I totally forgot. I did disappear! I was taken up into the mothership. The aliens zipped around the galaxy for a bit before finally realizing that they had the wrong person. They had meant to pick up their pet monkey George W. Ooo! Cheese! I like cheese!

**Carri:** Eeeek! Undead minions! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

**Desmonia:** Hmm. Maybe. XD

**Rosebud:** Yeah, like I said to hope... if I don't, I'll be on the FFAMWL (FanFic Authors Most Wanted List) hehehe. Here's your update! Many thankies as always!

**DarkFusion:** Really? Wow! I'm so happy! XD I'm glad I have made an enjoyable story for you to read. Yeah I know my spelling needs a little work, I'm working on it! : ) Here's your update!


	40. Chapter 39: Endgame

**Disclaimer:**I'm not going to dignify this with a statement.

**Nova**

**Chapter 39: Endgame**

(Knives)

The darkness clouding my vision finally cleared. But I was no longer in the torture chamber.

This place was nowhere on Gunsmoke.

I stood on a small floating island among thousands upon thousands of others spread as far as the eye could see, in a strange black void lit only by snake-like lightning that jumped from cloud to cloud above.

Small smoke-like wisps floated ghostily around and through the floating islands. The only sounds to be heard were that of millions of whispers that faded in and out in with the ghostly apparitions.

"Interesting sight, no?" A familiar voice said from behind me.

I whipped around and saw... myself.

He stood on an island 100 yarz away and he was literally a mirror image. But it was no mirror that I was looking at. He had on a sneer/smirk that I know was _not_ on my face. His hair was also strange like it couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be black or blonde. His eyes were the same way, flickering between my blue and deep endless black.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Why... I'm you." My double sneered.

"Impossible."

"Anything is possible."

"Not this." I said through my teeth, "Where am I? Where is Kestrel?"

"She is here." He said, waving his hand out at the eternal void.

I looked around again but saw nothing but floating islands, clouds and lightning.

"As for where we are... this is the realm between life... and death. A bridge. A way point."

"Who are you really?" I asked, looking at my odd double in the eye.

"I am the one who is going to annihilate you and every Vriisimaki in the universe." Ripples began appearing in his skin flowing up and down his skin, which began to tear, releasing something bigger than its skin could hold.

In seconds it had grown over nine feels tall. Its eyes were completely black now, and dark black scales shimmered across his body. He looked like the Saskanocs that had been chasing us. Only more... evil.

"Seldokas." I hissed backing up to the edge of the small island I stood on.

"Very good, simaki." Seldokas hissed back, "Now fight. Or you will die."

Suddenly he was flying across the reaches, before I could even think of moving, and landed right on my island making it shake

Seldokas bared his sharp teeth and lunged for me. I jumped back automatically, forgetting that I was already on the edge of the island.

Then I was falling. Away from the islands, away from Seldokas, and into a dark never-ending abyss.

But... something wasn't right. I wasn't moving at the right speed. This wasn't how physics worked; I should be falling at four times this speed.

_/Those rules don't apply here. /_ I heard her the moment I saw her. She was like one of those smoky wisps that floated above. But I knew it was she. Her aura and presence were the same as they had been back on Gunsmoke.

Before I could think of anything to say Kestrel's ghost-like form wrapped itself around me and lifted me back up. Up past the islands up into the lightning ridden clouds. There were more islands above the clouds only these sported grass and flowers and were almost ten times the size of the ones below.

Kestrel set me on one of these, and then floated a few feels from me. I looked up at the sunset-colored sky, occupied no longer by clouds, but by billions of the wisps.

They rose above the clouds and began an ascending cyclone around a crystalline obelisk in the center of a very large island. The cyclone of wisps got smaller as it climbed the obelisk and as it reached the very top of it the wisps joined together in a roaring ball of energy.

"What is this place?" I asked unsure of what to say to her.

_/It is as Seldokas said. The bridge between life and death. /_ Kestrels wisp-like state shifted to give her a more human shape and now she was able to show expressions.

"How did I get here? Better yet-- how do I get out of here? "

_/Seldokas was the one to bring us here. Only when _he_ releases us will we be able to rejoin our physical bodies. /_

"So... that means..."

_/You will have to fight him, Knives. /_

"Well, that won't be too hard."

_/Don't be naïve, Knives. He has had access to this word for thousands of years; he knows the rules of this place. You do not. /_

"I can learn."

_/It will take to long. /_

"Then what do you suggest, Kes? My people depend on-- on--" I suddenly didn't want to say what exactly they were depending on.

_/I can help you. I've been here long enough to know a lot of the rules. /_

"How--"

_/Let me join with you. We must join together our souls. If we don't rejoin our physical bodies... well... look there, at your hand. /_

I looked down at my hand; it was beginning to fade into a gray smoke.

_/Soon you will look like me. And not long from now I will have to join them. /_ She looked up at the cyclone of wisps.

"I can't let that happen. My people depend on me."

_/I know. /_

"How do we..."

She moved forward and put up her palm; I lifted my hand and touched hers. Suddenly there was jolt and something akin to a severe electric shock.

Kestrel's form in front of me was gone but I _felt_ her essence joined to me. Tied to my very being. I also felt a connection between the two of us that provided me with the knowledge I would need to fight Seldokas in this world.

"Lets go." The word came out of my mouth but it came from the both of us.

I took a running leap off the grassy island and fell straight down into the clouds. In this world I was equipped with powers, very much like that of my own plant powers, only on a different level entirely.

I slowed my decent down to the rocky islands and landed softly on one right next to Seldokas who hadn't moved the entire time.

"Decided to come back I see." Seldokas hissed and gave his version of a laugh.

"Enough talk." I growled.

"Very well." Seldokas raised his arm in front of himself. Abruptly it morphed into a gigantic crystal blade.

_/Form your Angel Arm. It's the only way to fight him. /_ Kestrel said quickly.

_I don't have my gun._

_/You don't need it here! Quickly! / _

I did as she asked and concentrated on the formation. It sprouted immediately. But it was far shorter than my real one. It was only the length of my arm.

Seldokas didn't give me time to use it. He hopped from island to island traversing the space between us rapidly.

I jumped backward just in time to avoid the blade as it and Seldokas soared down on us.

I jumped once more propelling myself up into the air above Seldokas and pointed my Arm at him, firing.

He used the blade as a shield and the blast fizzled out in seconds, sucked into the core of the crystalline blade.

Wasting no time he pointed the blade at me, firing my own blast back at me.

Kestrel's spirit unexpectedly broke free of my body and she used herself very soul to shield me.

She absorbed the energy and fell back into my body. I immediately knew that saving me had injured her.

_Damn._

_/Keep moving Knives! /_ She said weakly.

I began jumping from island to island gathering speed, and running a circle around him. I had no idea what I was doing. But I had to think up something fast.

Seldokas didn't let me circle him like a pack of wolves for long. He soon was running along side me, taking any chance he got at slashing out.

I repeatedly tried to fire at him, but he either dodged or sucked them in.

He could easily absorb any energy I threw at him into that blade. I had to get him from the back.

It was almost impossible to get any target on his back.

_Kestrel?_

There was no answer. She was far worse that I had originally thought. A searing hot anger welled up inside my chest, I growled and with a sudden burst of psychic strength I sped up, shocking, both myself, and Seldokas.

I ran headlong up to him, dodged the outstretched blade and shoved the barrel of my Arm into Seldokas' open mouth, pouring every last bit of explosive energy into him.

The force of the surge sent me flaying backwards.

I regained my control and slowed to a stop on an island not far away from Seldokas.

Seldokas was staring up at the sky with a very strange expression on his face. I didn't understand... that blast should have killed him.

Without warning, crack glowing with yellow light began tearing through his black scales.

He let out a tremendous roar and suddenly an arc of yellow light ejected out of his open mouth and disappeared into the dark abyss below.

Then the body that was left behind exploded.

(Vash)

We'd finally managed to shake off the Saskanocs. But we were now running.

A scream had resonated through the ship on a psychic level as well as in sound. We'd been trying to locate the source of the scream.

"There!" I shouted, pointing to a large glass window.

The both of us plastered ourselves against the window. We were in luck! I saw both Knives and Kestrel down through the window in a room filled with... torture devices.

I gasped when I actually got a good look at the two of them.

Knives was hunched over Kestrel, who lay in his lap bloody, both were unconscious.

I pounded on the window hoping that is would wake Knives or Kestrel, "Knives! Kestrel!"

Wolfwood began pounding as well, and then stopped, "We have to get down there!"

"Yeah--" Suddenly Knives jerked like he'd been electrocuted.

He lifted his up and looked up at us groggily. He shook his head just as a voice in another language began to speak over the ship wide speakers.

Knives' eyes widened like he just realized something.

_/Vash! /_

_/Knives? What--/_

_/Vash get out of here! /_

_/What? Why--/_

_/Just listen to me. Seldokas has initiated a self-destruct. You have to get out of here now! /_

_/But what about you?! I can't leave you! /_

_/You have to! Don't worry about me. Just leave! /_

_/But--/_

_/Wolfwood! If you ever want to see your wife and children again then leave! And take Vash with you. /_

Nick looked surprised at the telepathic message.

_/There's nothing you can do for us! The self -destruct will go in minutes! Minutes you have to use to get back to the ship! Now go! /_

_/But--/ _

_/GO!!/_

Nick grabbed me around the waist and dragged me away from the window.

"No! Knives! Nick, let me go back! Let go!"

"I'm not going to lose Milly again! And think about Meryl, Vash!" Nick argued, never letting go.

"Dammit, no! KNIVES! NO!!"

_/You have a resposibility to our people now, Vash. Take care of them./ _Knives' last telepathic message resounded in my brain. I kept struggling with Nick to let me go.

Nick hit me in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, sending me into a daze.

In what seemed like a lot quicker leaving than we had arrived Nick had placed both of our helmet on and got the both of us out of Seldokas' ship and into our own.

Nick grabbed the steering console and in seconds we were rising rapidly above the surface.

"Knives!"

I looked out a side window just as a huge supernova exploded across the surface of the moon enveloping the entire thing in seconds and scorching it with white flame.

_"KNIVES!" _

And seconds after that... the moon was dead.

Burnt black.

The next few days passed in a haze for me. I couldn't sleep, I sat at a small desk in the Bluesummers home staring at nothing. My mouth felt dry and no amount of water could seem to ease it. I found myslef wandering sometimes. Wanderign the house or the streets of Lanoth.

My brother was gone. Dead. His life snuffed out in a single instant. For what? He had in effect sacrificed himself for every person on the planet. If only for the plants.

There would be no more fighting between us. There would be no more of anything.

Meryl did her best to try and comfort me. She spoke to me quietly and held me in her arms, soothing away the sorrow only momentarily.

Silver and purple ribbons littered the valley in honor of Knives and Kestrel, tied to trees and lamp posts, pinned over the hearts on peoples shirts.

Three days after The Nova, Lanoth held a memorial service for both Kestrel and Knives. I barely heard the words of Marian as she stood before the crowd of people, "....Though they are gone now, we must honor thier memories..."

I kept wondering what Knives would do if it had me who died. I wasn't really sure. He seemed to be changing. His behavior after Kestrel's kidnapping was shocking in it he least.

"...together they saved all of us. Together they died..."

He probably wouldn't grieve in the way I was. He would probably blame the humans and... Then again...

Knives' last message to suddenly can back full force, _You have a resposibility to our people now... Take care of them. _

Is this waht Knives wanted me to do? Save out people? He didn't specify_ how. _

_...you have a responsibility..._

I smiled._ Alright Knives. I will. I will save our people. But I'm going to do it _my _way.  
_

_..........................................  
_


	41. Epilogue: New Beginning

**Nova**

**Epilogue: New beginning**

(Minutes before the Supernova)

(Knives)

It was time. It was finally time for me to die. Wasn't it? Weakly I clutched Kestrel in my arms and held her close.

I barely had the strength to breath, much less move. I took one last look at Kestrels face before closing my eyes.

Suddenly I felt a surge of energy flow through my body. My eyes shot open and I quickly got to my feet, Kestrel was still in my arms.

How I managed to get free was beyond me... but I didn't have time to question it as I heard the echoing computerized voice blare through the corridors. _"Tekac ur kesk deska ioc."_

"_Tekac ur kesk deska mok." _

"_Tekac ur kesk deska yiu."_

It was a countdown. I don't know how... but I could understand Seldokas' language. Just after Seldokas' body had exploded back there... I had felt a wave of information flow into my mind. I don't know where it came from. But the psychic signature was definitely that of Seldokas.

Franticly I wondered what I should do. I looked at Kestrels face, serene even with the caked blood on her face.

Suddenly I remembered... There were ships in the docking bay. I could still get us out of here.

I hauled Kestrels limp body up into my arms and ran as fast as I could towards the docking bays.

"_Tekac ur kesk deska toi."_

I ran faster, hoping that I could make it in time before the count down reached zero.

Seconds later I was in the docking bay, I didn't hesitate in choosing one of the small alien ships, I just picked one and hoped that it still ran.

I set Kestrel on the floor of the small ship and settled into the oddly shaped pilot's seat.

Fortunately it only took me a few moments to figure out the simple controls and then I had the ship up in the air and blasted the ship out of there just at fiery shockwave soared towards us.

The little ship was surprisingly fast in the void of space and in seconds we were already halfway back to Gunsmoke.

Finally I let out a sigh and set a direct course for the planet. Then I slipped out of the seat and knelt next to Kestrel lifting her up. I cradled her upper body in my arms and stared down at her.

"I want you to know I didn't save you because I like you. As with anything... I did it for my people. And like with Legato you will help me. This is a new beginning. For the both of us. We have survived the fire to be reborn."

Of course she didn't respond. How could she? I knew Vash would never go forward with saving our people. He loved the humand too much. I had to take matters into my own hands again.

_Are you sure that's the only reason?_ A small voice in the back of my mind said.

I turned my head away from her and towards the view screen. "Of course it is."

I pushed the nagging doubts into the back of my mind. And began to think about what I needed to do.

_Of course it is...  
_

_........................................  
_

**THE END  
**

**...................................................................................................................................  
**

Well... I don't really know what to say. It's over. Nova is finished.

I'm both happy and sad to see the end.

There are so many people I want to thank... Jeez...

Ok first off I would like to thank my Beta reader LegacyRBluesummers for going over my chapters and suggesting stuff when she though it was needed.

Second I'd like to thank my very first beta Foofighta, your help in the beginning of my Fanfiction carrer is forever immortal.

Thirdly I'd like to thank all my reviewers, especially Rosebud(for sticking with me from the start) and El Hustino (For your very uplifting and funny reviews), all of you have kept me going and have helped me to gain some manner of confidance in my work. Your continued support has effected me in more ways then I can list here.

Last but not least... all you people who read but never review! I know you are out there! I love ya all! XD

I hope everyone stays tuned for Learning to Live the sequal to Nova. I don't know when i'll be able to get it out to you folks but I can promise it within a month.


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